PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Two men who were arrested on drug charges after leading police on a high-speed chase have now entered guilty pleas in federal court.
Ahmad Moore, 26, of Akron, Ohio, and Dean Blair, 24, of Snellville, Ga., each pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of more than 500 grams of meth with the intent to distribute this week. In exchange for their pleas, prosecutors have agreed to drop conspiracy charges against the men.
The two men were arrested last June after leading police on a chase along U.S. 23 reaching speeds of up to 120 miles an hour. During the chase, a package was tossed out of the car. When police retrieved it, they reported finding 885 grams of meth and more than an ounce of fentanyl.
When the suspect vehicle shut off its lights and moved into oncoming traffic, narrowly missing several cars, police called off their pursuit due to the danger to other motorists. However, police found the vehicle at a home on Lick Branch, in Pike County, a half-hour later, and police arrested the suspects.
Court records indicate that it was more than luck that directed police to the two men, as they were already under investigation as the source of a large-scale meth and fentanyl trafficking operation in Virgie. Police had been tracking them through location data on Moore’s cell phone.
An affidavit from the state trooper investigating the case indicates police learned of Moore and Blair from a cooperating witness, who also provided text messages that detailed drug transactions. That led to a search warrant for the Moore’s phone, allowing them to track the men once they got on the Mountain Parkway to head toward Pike County. It was also how they were able to locate them after giving up the chase.
Moore and Blair now face a sentence of between 10 years and life in prison. They will appear in the Lexington federal courthouse May 22 for sentencing.
