LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
A former Kentucky State Trooper from the London post was found guilty in U.S. District Court for carrying a firearm while trafficking in prescription narcotics.
The two-day trial ended late Friday when a federal jury returned the guilty charge against 35-year-old Michael Fred Pennington. Testimony in the case revealed Pennington went to Regina West’s home with social service workers in September 2011 on a case in which one of the woman’s children had allegedly been physically abused.
West reportedly had a crushed pill in her bedroom, which Pennington spotted, allowed her to snort the crushed pill and then attempted to solicit sex from her.
A report in the Lexington Herald-Leader quoted West as testifying, “He told me he’ll let it all go away if I’ll do him.”
West incorporated the assistance of police in setting Pennington up by agreeing to have sex with him if he brought her prescription drugs. When an off-duty, but fully uniformed, Pennington arrived at West’s home with a Lortab, detectives with the Kentucky State Police immediately intervened. Pennington, who had been a KSP Trooper for more than 10 years, resigned just hours after the incident occurred.
Testimony in the case revealed Pennington used his authority as a law enforcement officer to intimidate West into having sex in exchange for drugs. Pennington was carrying his gun at the time he brought the Lortab to West. It took the jury just two hours to decide on the guilty verdict after the trial began Thursday morning in London’s federal court.
Pennington was indicted in U.S. District Court for possessing and distributing drugs, for giving West a Lortab pain pill and for carrying a firearm during the commission of a drug crime. The jury found Pennington guilty only of Count 3 of the indictment, which was for carrying his state-issued Glock .40-caliber pistol, when he brought West the pain pill.
This is the second drug-related charge for Pennington within a two-week time frame. Last week, he pled guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
“This case illustrates that the Kentucky State Police continues to react quickly regarding allegations of misconduct involving an employee,” said Rodney Brewer, Kentucky State Police Commissioner. “Although this is a rare occurrence, it underscores the public oath we have taken to protect the citizens of the Commonwealth from all criminals.”
njohnson@sentinel-echo.com
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May 24, 2012
Former KSP Trooper found guilty
Charged with carrying firearm while trafficking in prescription pills
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