Final pill conspiracy defendant sentenced in federal court

James A. Meradith the final defendant involved in the 2011 Fritts family pill conspiracy was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 33 months in prison on drug charges. Once released, Meradith will serve 36 months of supervised release.

The case is one of federal drug trafficking against six members of the Fritts family. Each member of the family besides Meradith has previously been sentenced for their part in the incident, Meradith was the last to be sentenced. Meradith plead guilty and admitted to giving former Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge three Oxycodone pills in exchange for a sheriff’s department issued shotgun in December of 2010. Meradith also revealed that had made several trips to Jellico, Tennessee to obtain pills for Hodge.

Hodge was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for conspiracies involving drugs, extortion and money laundering. Under federal law, Meradith is required to serve at least 85 percent of Hodge’s prison sentence.

The investigation was conducted by ATF and Kentucky State Police.