Office of the Attorney General
Attorney General Conway Announces Guilty Verdict in Nelson County Drug Trafficking Trial

Attorney General Jack Conway and his Office of Special Prosecutions today announced a guilty verdict in the trial of a Bardstown, Ky. man on drug trafficking charges. On September 24, 2010, a Nelson County jury found 34-year-old William Louis Rogers, Jr. guilty on two counts of trafficking in controlled substances first degree, one count of illegal possession of cocaine and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia.

After hearing evidence of Rogers’ extensive criminal history, including multiple past convictions for trafficking cocaine, the jury returned penalty verdicts finding Rogers guilty of being a Repeat Offender under the Controlled Substances Act, and for being a Persistent Felony Offender in the first degree.

Rogers was arrested after repeatedly selling a quantity of cocaine to an informant working with agents from the Bardstown Police Department, Nelson County Sheriff’s office and the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force. After executing a search warrant at Rogers’ home, investigators found a room containing digital scales, baggies and further hidden quantities of cocaine packaged for sale.

 “Because of the hard work of the investigators and prosecutors involved in this case, a known drug dealer is now off the streets and behind bars,” General Conway said. “My office remains committed to combating the scourge of trafficking in illegal narcotics in all its forms.”

General Conway’s Office of Special Prosecutions handled the prosecution of this case at the request of the Nelson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office.

The jury has recommended 20 years on each of the trafficking counts and 10 years for possession of cocaine to be run concurrently for a total recommended sentence of 20 years.  As a persistent felony offender first degree, Rogers will have to serve at least 10 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. in Nelson Circuit Court.

William Rogers, Jr.