PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Johnson County man has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in connection with meth trafficking.

Sean Tharp, 36, of Paintsville, pleaded guilty before a magistrate judge in U.S. District Court in Pikeville on Monday.

In his plea agreement, he admitted to acquiring a source for meth in Georgia, then traveling there on multiple occasions and returning with at least a pound of the drug each time. He would then distribute it to dealers and users.

The agreement does not say exactly how much meth Tharp is supposed to have distributed in this way, but indicates it was between 3.5 and 11 pounds.

The plea must still be accepted by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier. If the plea is accepted, Tharp will face a sentence of between 10 years and life in prison.