Whitley County man sentenced to 162 months for armed methamphetamine trafficking

U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom sentenced Michael Andrew Nakonechny, 41, of Whitley County, to 162 months in federal prison on Tuesday for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office.

According to his plea agreement, on Aug. 5, 2022, law enforcement in Whitley County located a backpack that Nakonechny possessed and contained over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Nakonechny had received the drugs from his supplier and intended to distribute them. Law enforcement also found a loaded firearm inside the backpack. Nakonechny possessed the firearm to further his drug trafficking activity.

Nakonechny pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2023.

Under federal law, Nakonechny must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.

Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Rusty Hedrick, Chief of the Corbin Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

The investigation was conducted by ATF, the KSP, and the Corbin Police Department.

According to Whitley County court records, a Michael Nakonechny, who was 40 years old at the time, and had a Lexington address listed, was indicted on Sept. 19, 2022, in Whitley Circuit Court on charges of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with an Aug. 5, 2022, incident.

According to online court records, the case is still pending in Whitley Circuit Court and slated for a status hearing on Dec. 18, 2023.