A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted two Marshall County men accused of distributing a lethal drug investigators say led to the March 14 death of a Calvert City resident.
According to the federal indictment, Jevan M. Sheppard, 25, and Thomas J. Hardin, 23, both of Marshall County, were charged on conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, the use of which resulted in death and serious bodily injury; and distribution of a controlled substance, the use of which resulted in death and serious bodily injury.
Sheppard was also charged with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; and importing a controlled substance into the United States, the use of which resulted in death and serious bodily injury.
Sheppard and Hardin are the first defendants to be charged with U-4 distribution resulting in death in the Western District of Kentucky. The indictments were unsealed yesterday during initial appearances before Magistrate Judge Lanny King.
“My office is committed to attacking the supply of deadly opioids and bringing some measure of justice to the victims and their families,” U.S. Attorney John Kuhn said in a statement issued to media. “These federal charges carry a mandatory 20-year sentence upon conviction, without the possibility of parole. This indictment and the prosecution, we hope, will deter others who consider trafficking this poison.”
According to court documents, a conviction could carry a penalty of up to life in prison and/or up to a $1 million fine and no less than three years supervised release after time served.
Federal investigators allege Sheppard imported substances containing detectable amounts of U-4 from China, and that both he and Hardin conspired for about four months – from Nov. 14, 2016, to March 22, 2017 – to distribute the substance, which ultimately led to the overdose death of 23-year-old Taylor May.
U4, a synthetic drug developed in the 1970s, is reported to have effects similar to that of a very potent opioid. It has reportedly been linked to numerous overdose deaths since 2016 in the U.S.
Sheppard and Hardin were facing state charges related to the incident, as well, though those charges could be set aside, per federal prosecutors’ request. Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Byars said it was likely, given that federal standards were a great deal more stringent and penalties more harsh.
Commonwealth Attorney Mark Blankenship was unavailable for comment Friday morning to confirm the state’s intent.
Sheppard entered a not-guilty plea May 11 in Marshall County Circuit Court to charges of trafficking in synthetic drugs and trafficking in synthetic drugs with a firearm enhancement. The enhancement stems from a police search that allegedly yielded firearms within close proximity to quantities of the drug, which was packaged for sale.
Hardin pleaded not-guilty June 13 in Marshall County Circuit Court to second-degree manslaughter and trafficking in a controlled substance. Police believe Hardin obtained the drugs from Sheppard and then sold them to Taylor May.
Taylor May and his brother, 18-year-old Karson May, were discovered unresponsive about 7:30 a.m. March 14 at their Calvert City residence after police allege they had used the drug. Taylor May died at the residence; Karson May was hospitalized with serious injuries as a result.
Hardin and Sheppard were arrested about a week later.
Sheppard is scheduled to appear at 2 p.m. Monday, June 19 for a detention hearing at U.S. District Court in Paducah. A hearing date for Hardin had not been scheduled as of Friday, according to the U.S. District Court docket online.
Details will be available on Marshall County Daily as they become available.