AFTER PRESS TIME UPDATE: Now all defendants in the case have taken plea deals, pleading guilty to the first charge of the indictment in separate re-arraignment hearings. Updates to the case will be reported as the information becomes available.
PIKEVILLE – Two more people have pleaded guilty in a federal drug case involving Johnson and Magoffin counties, with another set to be re-arraigned this week.
Charles Chandler, 53, of Tutor Key; Ashley Johnson, 35, and Cory Johnson, 33, both of Salyersville; and Jayshawn Robinson, 29, of Pontiac, Michigan, were charged in an indictment filed in federal court in August 2021, with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture in Johnson and Magoffin counties from April through August 12, 2021. The defendants were also charged with various other drug-related offenses.
Chandler entered a guilty plea on March 1 as part of a plea agreement and is set for sentencing on June 21 in London.
The plea agreement says law enforcement used a confidential informant to make controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Chandler on Feb. 28, 2020; March 6, 2020; March 20, 2020; and Aug. 2, 2021. The buys netted a total of 126 grams of the drug, the agreement says.
During a search of Chandler’s home on Aug. 12, 2021, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and $18,819 in cash were found by officers, according to the plea agreement.
“Prior to the August 12, 2021 search, the Defendant had developed a relationship with multiple, related sources of supply of methamphetamine,” the agreement says. “Through this relationship, the Defendant regularly, and on multiple occasions, obtained large quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed within the Eastern District of Kentucky. By August 12, 2021, the Defendant had distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine that he had received through his relationship with these suppliers, who also provided the Defendant with the methamphetamine seized from his residence on August 12, 2021.”
Prosecutors will ask that additional charges of distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute the drug will be dismissed at Chandler’s sentencing.
Cory Johnson pleaded guilty in a re-arraignment hearing on March 15, and Robinson pleaded guilty on March 21, both per seemingly identical plea agreements to Chandler’s agreement from the prosecuting attorney. With the plea agreements, both pleaded guilty to the first count in the underlying indictment, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to ask for the rest of the charges against the two be dismissed at sentencing.
Cory Johnson and Robinson are scheduled to be sentenced on June 29.
Ashley Johnson was scheduled to be rearraigned on Tuesday, March 29, but the results of that hearing are unknown at press time.
The jury trial scheduled to begin on April 8 against the four defendants in the case is now canceled.
Editor’s Note: The indictment or charge of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
