AG Coleman appeals lenient sentence in fentanyl trafficking case

The Office of Attorney General Coleman announced on Wednesday that the lenient sentence of probation against a fentanyl trafficker, who pleaded guilty after he was found with 75 grams of fentanyl, has been appealed.

The Office of the Solicitor General appealed the Fayette County Circuit Court's "unlawfully lenient sentence" in the fentanyl trafficking case.

Coleman's office reported that in Oct. 2023, Domonick Jones pleaded guilty to a Class C felony charge for trafficking fentanyl. The Kentucky State Police reportedly found 75 grams of fentanyl on Jones, along with other drugs.

According to a release from Coleman's office, Kentucky law states that "defendants convicted of this charge must be sentenced to prison." However, the Fayette Circuit Court granted Jones probation, according to Coleman's office.

“Fentanyl is an urgent threat that is poisoning our communities. Our lawmakers have made clear that fentanyl traffickers—especially in such devastating quantities—must serve time behind bars,” said Attorney General Coleman. “We are asking the Court of Appeals to apply the law, protect our communities and reverse this unlawful sentence.”

“The law is clear: those convicted of trafficking fentanyl in Kentucky and endangering the lives of its citizens by selling fentanyl to them are to be sentenced to prison,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Baird. “I’m glad to join Attorney General Coleman in seeking to uphold the law and seek the appropriate punishment for this defendant.”

"By failing to apply clear law, the Circuit Court’s sentence violated the separation of powers and threatened the community’s safety," the release read.