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2 convicted in federal court for roles in OD’s

7/20/2017

By Tom Marshall
Senior Advocate writer

Two people were convicted in federal court in Lexington last week for their roles in a cluster of 21 drug overdoses, including one that involved a death, that occurred here last August.

Robert Shields of Cincinnati and Wesley Hamm of Mt. Sterling were convicted July 13 in U.S. District Court of one count of conspiracy to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl and heroin; one count of distribution of carfentanil resulting in death; and one count of distribution of carfentanil resulting in serious bodily injury, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The jury, the release said, returned its verdict after an hour and 20 minutes of deliberation, following four days of trial.
A third suspect, Tracey Lynn Reffitt Myers, 34, died Sept. 3 after reportedly committing suicide at the Montgomery County Regional Jail.
Use of carfentanil is suspected in most of the August overdose cases, local authorities say.

“These defendants were illegally distributing extremely dangerous drugs; and all too predictably, that resulted in overdoses and an unnecessary death,” said Carlton S. Shier IV, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Carfentanil is designed for large mammals—not humans—and presents a grave danger to the public. These defendants brazenly risked the lives of the people in Montgomery County and our office remains committed to using the severe penalties available to punish drug trafficking resulting in overdoses under federal law.
“The great work of our local and federal law enforcement partners made this case possible and helps make our Overdose Prosecution Initiative such a success,” he added.

An affidavit for a search warrant filed by a Mt. Sterling police detective for Myers’ residence shed considerable light on the investigation.
The detective noted in his affidavit last August that the victim of the fatal overdose had exchanged text messages with a subject named “Tracey” in which there was a reported request for “one $20 and two $25’s.”
These were suspected drug transactions.

Some of the texts from “Tracey” indicated that what she had was reportedly pure fentanyl, the detective wrote in the affidavit.
Myers was allegedly identified as the source of many of the transactions that led to drug overdoses Aug. 24, according to the affidavit. Myers was arrested Aug. 25, but later died.

Three of those overdoses reportedly occurred at the jail.
According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Lexington, Myers reportedly confessed to delivering heroin here, including to the individual who died. Myers, Lexington media reported, allegedly told the DEA that she supplied Hamm with funds, which he reportedly in turn used to buy heroin in Cincinnati. The heroin, she reportedly acknowledged to authorities, was sometimes mixed with other substances.

Montgomery County Sheriff Fred Shortridge said authorities with his agency, the MSPD and DEA were able to expedite the investigation because Myers was already under investigation.

Hamm reportedly got his supply of drugs from Shields, also known as “Sosa,” according to the affidavit.

Shields and Hamm are scheduled to be formally sentenced Nov. 17. Both face a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Mt. Sterling Police Dept. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case on behalf of the federal government.
The Mt. Sterling Police Dept posted on social media, which the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office shared, that “Team work and agency cooperation is a powerful thing when fighting for our community.” Law enforcement members say that not only did this incident result in a death, there were three near deaths.

“There were so many calls at one point there were no ambulances available. Officers along with EMT’s had to transport a victim to the hospital in a police cruiser.”

Shortridge said he hopes the successful prosecution will show how seriously authorities take drug trafficking.