NEWS RELEASE
LEXINGTON, Ky, — A Lexington man, who appeared in court Thursday afternoon, has been charged with possession with intent to distribute large quantities of fentanyl in Fayette County.
William S. Dixon, 55, was indicted on September 9, 2016, by a federal grand jury, for one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute acylfentanyl, fentanyl and heroin.
According to the indictment, in July of this year, Lexington Police conducted a search at Dixon’s residence and discovered at least 40 grams of pure fentanyl.
“We are fortunate to have seized this fentanyl before it was distributed,” said Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “ Minute quantities of fentanyl can be deadly. Given the damage fentanyl has caused in central Kentucky, it’s staggering to consider the harm that would have been done by these drugs on the streets of our community.”
“This case represents the largest seizure of pure fentanyl to date for our agency,” Lexington Police Chief Mark Barnard said. “Families are hurting because of the abuse of fentanyl, heroin, and other opioids. We are continuing to investigate this case. This problem needs to be attacked from all sides. We’re working to bring drug dealers and their suppliers to justice, and we’re working with addiction intervention experts to help connect victims with the help they need.”
Dixon is an employee of the city’s Division of Water Quality. He is currently on paid leave due to an on-the-job injury that occurred in April.
U.S. Attorney Harvey; Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Mark Barnard, Chief of Lexington Police, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by Lexington Police and the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Rieker is prosecuting this case on behalf of the federal government.
Dixon is scheduled for a detention hearing today at 2:00 in Lexington. At this hearing the Court will determine whether Dixon will remain in custody pending trial. If convicted, Dixon faces a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. However, any sentence imposed, upon a conviction, would come after the Court carefully considers the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable statutes.
An indictment is an allegation only. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, at which the government must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.