COVINGTON, Ky. – Shannon Baker, 34, and Ryan Bell, 35, both from Florence, Ky., were sentenced Tuesday, to 150 months and 72 months, respectively, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, after previously admitting to conspiring with others to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine.
According to her plea agreement, Baker led a conspiracy that distributed more than five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine throughout Northern Kentucky. Officers seized significant amounts of methamphetamine from various members of the trafficking conspiracy in Boone, Campbell, and Grant Counties during the investigation. Baker recruited Bell to join the conspiracy, after her arrest on January 4, 2021. Bell took over operations and distributed methamphetamine for a short time, before his arrest, on January 21, 2021. Baker and Bell each had a prior felony conviction for a drug offense, prior to the commission of this offense.
Three other members of the conspiracy have already been sentenced. Chad Beach was sentenced to 24 months, on January 25, 2022; Zachary Schwaller was sentenced to 84 months, on January 27, 2022; and Eric Mann was sentenced to 84 months in prison on February 8, 2022. A final member of the group, Samantha Miller Bell, is scheduled for sentencing on March 8, 2022.
Baker and Bell pleaded guilty in October 2021.
Under federal law, each Defendant must serve 85 percent of their prison sentence. Baker and Bell will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years, following their release from prison.
Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Detroit Field Division; and Scott Hardcorn, Director of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
— END —