Wednesday, October 03, 2001

5 plead guilty to taking part in OxyContin ring

One of the Lee County residents who pleaded guilty faces up to life in prison.

   Five Lee County residents pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Big Stone Gap to participating in the distribution of more than $1 million worth of OxyContin pills.

    Shannon Carson Payne, 25, pleaded guilty to masterminding the distribution of more than 27,000 pills of the prescription painkiller from July 1999 to January 2001. He also pleaded guilty to trading firearms for OxyContin pills. He faces up to life in prison and a fine of up to $1.25 million.

    Beverly Livesay, 36, and Scott Livesay, 40, pleaded guilty to distribution of OxyContin. Jerry Honeycutt, 48, and Damon Rash, 26, pleaded guilty to using OxyContin while they had guns. The Livesays face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Honeycutt and Rash each face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for January .

    Last week, seven other Lee County residents pleaded guilty to distributing more than $2.5 million worth of OxyContin.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Hurt prosecuted both cases. The Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case.

   - JEN McCAFFERY

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