2 Eastern Kentucky men sentenced to years in prison on trafficking convictions

Taylor Six
·2 min read
2

Two men were sentenced to years in federal prison on Monday for various methamphetamine trafficking and firearm charges.

Riccardo Rothwell, 42, and Aaron McWhorter, 29, both from Ashland, were sentenced to six years and 11 years by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, according to court documents.

Rothwell was sentenced after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Rothwell was stopped by law enforcement on July 10, 2021, where they found him in possession of 96.8 grams of methamphetamine, 11.35 grams of fentanyl, 0.97 grams of cocaine, and 2.2 grams of marijuana, according to his plea agreement

Rothwell was in possession of $7,683 which was obtained as a result of drug trafficking, according to court documents.

McWhorter was sentenced after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. McWhorter was charged after law enforcement officers were dispatched to a report of a man passed out in a vehicle on July 5, 2021, according to his plea agreement.

The man turned out to be McWhorter, and he was found with a gun and narcotics, according to court records.

McWhorter admitted he knew he was previously convicted in Carter County Circuit Court for felony possession of a controlled substance and was prohibited from possessing a firearm, according to court records.

Rothwell and McWhorter both pleaded guilty in May, according to court documents.

Under federal law, Rothwell and McWhorter must serve 85% of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.

The sentencings were jointly announced by Carlton S. Shier IV, U.S. Attorney for the eastern region of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge at the FBI Louisville Field Office; J. Todd Scott, special agent in charge at the DEA Louisville Field Division; Chief Todd Kelley from the Ashland Police Department; and Boyd County Sheriff Bobby Woods.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA, FBI, Ashland Police Department, and Boyd County Sheriff’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Greenfield in the cases.