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A Henderson man has been sentenced to 23 years in federal prison after being convicted on two counts of distributing fentanyl causing death, the U.S Attorney’s office for the Western District of Kentucky announced on Friday.

According to court documents, Elijah Lovell, 20, after completing his 23-year prison term, will have that followed by another five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal court system.

Between December 27, 2021, and January 31, 2022, Lovell distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person, “J.H.” Additionally, on or about May 5, 2022, Lovell distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another person, “C.G.”

The Henderson Police Department and Henderson County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl prosecuted the case.

“Let this sentence serve notice to those who traffic drugs in the Western District that this office, together with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who cause the tragic loss of life through the distribution of their poison,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett. “I commend the Henderson Police Department and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work and partnership during the investigation and prosecution of this case.”   

According to the annual overdose fatality report from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, in 2022, the last year for which figures are available, a total of 2,135 Kentucky residents died from a drug overdose, representing a decrease of more than 5% from the 2,250 resident drug overdose deaths in 2021.

Fentanyl was identified through toxicology in 1,548 drug overdose deaths, representing 72.5% of the total drug overdose deaths in 2022 and a decrease of 6.3% from the 1,652 drug overdose deaths for which fentanyl was identified through toxicology in 2021.

The annual report for 2023 is expected to be released sometime in June.