Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A Harlan man was recently sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine in Harlan County.

Clarence Major, III, 35, was sentenced Thursday to 210 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Robert Wier for charges stemming from possession of over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture.

According to the plea agreement, between September 2018 and September 2019, Major and others were working to import methamphetamine into Harlan County.

On Dec. 11, 2018, the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine and multiple firearms from Major’s residence.

Nearly seven months later, on July 13, 2019, law enforcement intercepted a 2-kilogram delivery of methamphetamine, which was in part designated to be delivered to Major.

Finally, on Sept. 16, 2019, the Kentucky State Police executed a traffic stop of Major’s vehicle in Laurel County and found him to be in possession of approximately one pound of actual methamphetamine.

Major had previously been convicted of multiple state felony drug offenses, including drug trafficking.

Under federal law, Major must serve 85 percent of his 210-month prison sentence. He will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release.

U.S. Attorney Duncan, J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Lt. Colonel Phillip Burnett, Jr., Interim Commissioner of Kentucky State Police and Leslie Smith, Harlan County Sheriff, jointly announced the guilty plea.

The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew H. Trimble.