A Memphis man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for fentanyl trafficking in DeSoto County. According to the DeSoto County District Attorney's Office's Facebook post, Odie Ratchford pled guilty in open court and will also serve 22 years of post-release supervision. Circuit Judge Celeste Wilson delivered the sentence.
Ratchford was arrested in July 2022 after a traffic stop in which authorities discovered nearly 1,000 fentanyl pills in his vehicle.
The DeSoto County District Attorney's Office noted that delays at the state crime lab extended the resolution of the case, with critical evidence taking more than 15 months to process. Officials indicated that additional resources, such as a local crime lab, could help expedite future cases.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ben Weathers with assistance from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office.
