Life Sentence For Fatal Drug Overdose In Boone Co. Jail

Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 1:07 PM

By Mike Perleberg @mikedup84

A Cincinnati man is going away for life.

(Covington, Ky.) - A Cincinnati man has been sentenced to life for dealing carfentanil to an inmate in the Boone County Jail.

That other inmate fatally overdosed on the drug.

Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Johnny Shelton smuggled the carfentanil into the Boone County Jail Work Camp in October of 2016. A fellow inmate, Timothy Marcum, overdosed and died. His body was found in the work camp.

Shelton was convicted in June following a five-day jury trial. On Wednesday, Shelton was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Covington to life in prison.

Under federal law, he will not be eligible for release from prison.

Prosecutors say Shelton had five prior drug trafficking convictions in Ohio.

Others with involvement in the jail drug smuggling conspiracy have been previously sentenced. Chad Prodoehl was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 300 months in prison in May.

Gordon Wanser pled guilty and was sentenced to 43 months in prison in July.

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