Prestonsburg, Ky – With Valentine’s Day coming up Saturday, Kentucky State Police are urging shoppers to be careful when buying gifts online. Trooper Matt Gayheart says scammers often use fake ads for flowers, candy and other typical Valentine’s gifts, especially when they offer unusually big discounts. He says if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is, and shoppers should stick with local businesses and trusted retailers. Gayheart also warns that some online dating profiles, including those using AI-generated photos, may be fake, especially if someone quickly starts asking for money or gifts, and he urges anyone who believes they’ve been scammed to report it to Kentucky State Police.
Floyd County, Ky – A Floyd County man will serve 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug and gun charges. Prosecutors say 35‑year‑old Justin K. Bryant of Martin admitted to possessing meth and fentanyl with intent to distribute and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, tied to two separate traffic stops where officers found meth, fentanyl and evidence he tried to destroy the drugs. Sentencing guidelines called for 180 to 225 months, and the judge imposed 192 months—one year above the minimum.
Prestonsburg, Ky – A Prestonsburg man is facing serious charges after police say he drove to Lancaster to meet someone, he believed was a 14‑year‑old girl. Court documents say 36‑year‑old Scotty G. Baril of Spurlock Creek went to a Five Star gas station on February 7, where officers were called after a social media group reported confronting him about alleged messages with a minor. An officer detained Baril, reviewed the messages and later wrote that Baril admitted he was romantically attached to the “14‑year‑old” and had coached her through a sexual act. Baril is charged with procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means and promoting a sexual performance by a minor, and he was lodged in the Jessamine County Detention Center.
Inez, Ky – A Tennessee man has been ordered to pay nearly ten thousand dollars after pleading guilty to a series of illegal hunting cases in Martin County. Twenty‑four‑year‑old Tanner Smelcer of Sevierville admitted to five counts of illegally taking wildlife, including elk, deer and wild turkey, during incidents in late 2024. Under a plea deal, he must pay five thousand dollars in fines and more than forty‑eight hundred dollars in restitution, his hunting license is suspended for three years, and thirteen other charges were dismissed.