United States of America v. Ryan Cooley and Nicholas Sturgil

Covington, Kentucky, criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendants charged with aiding and abetting distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1).

Ryan Cooley, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Nicholas Sturgill, of Villa Hills, Kentucky, sold approximately 50 pressed pills containing fentanyl and xylazine to Cooley. Cooley then sold the pills to Sturgill, who brought them to his Kenton County residence and shared them with the victim, who died the next day. Toxicology results and autopsy findings confirmed that the victim’s death resulted from an overdose involving fentanyl and xylazine.

During the investigation, agents recovered additional blue pills and drug paraphernalia from the residence, all of which tested positive for fentanyl and xylazine. Sturgill admitted to purchasing such pressed pills from Cooley for approximately one year, including those involved in the fatal incident, and provided text messages corroborating the transactions. Surveillance footage from the May 21 sale further confirmed Cooley’s involvement and showed him arriving at the scene of the drug transaction in a vehicle driven by Ferguson.

Under law enforcement direction, Sturgill conducted controlled purchases of pills from Cooley on multiple dates in June and July 2025. Laboratory testing revealed that the pills contained various dangerous substances, including fentanyl analogues, xylazine, ketamine, and carfentanil. Agents later executed a search warrant at Cooley’s residence, where he admitted to supplying the pills and identified Ferguson as his source. Cooley’s communications with Ferguson confirmed their relationship. A subsequent controlled purchase arranged through Cooley led to the recovery of additional pills supplied by Ferguson, which again tested positive for fentanyl-related substances.

Ryan Cooley and Nicholas Sturgill were sentenced to prison terms of 12.5 years and 10 years, respectively.