The leader of a drug trafficking organization that brought significant amounts of heroin and fentanyl from Detroit, Michigan to Richmond, KY has been sentenced to life imprisonment for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a Madison County resident. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves sentenced Navarius Westberry, 38, originally from Michigan, but living in Lexington, for distributing a controlled substance resulting in an overdose death. Anyone convicted under this law is subject to prison term of 20 years to life. After an extensive hearing, the Court imposed a term of life imprisonment.

Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, said Westberry knew the danger of the drugs he was selling and “exhibited a callous disregard for human life.” Four other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. This case marks the first time in the Eastern District of Kentucky that the federal overdose penalties were applied in a case involving defendants from Michigan.