Lexington man charged in federal case with drug trafficking and firearm possession

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Delvegio Christopher Lax, a 33-year-old Lexington resident, was arrested this week on federal charges related to drug trafficking and firearms possession, according to the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The complaint alleges that Lax was involved in the possession and intent to distribute controlled substances and was also a felon in possession of firearms.

According to the criminal complaint, federal authorities have been investigating Lax's activities since October 2023. Investigators reportedly monitored social media posts associated with Lax that showed him flaunting large sums of cash, expensive jewelry and driving luxury vehicles. In one post, Lax allegedly showed hundreds of thousands of dollars in vacuum-sealed plastic bags next to wads of money tied with rubber bands.

The investigation culminated on September 24, 2024, when police executed a search warrant at Lax's residence on Tiburon Way in Lexington. According to the criminal complaint, the search uncovered over 800 grams of suspected cocaine that was packaged for distribution. In addition, authorities discovered a Draco pistol loaded with 7.62 caliber bullets in the bedroom and a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol hidden in the engine compartment of a vehicle Lax had been driving.

The criminal complaint also details Lax's alleged involvement in drug trafficking. According to federal agents, in June 2024, Lax attempted to recruit a known drug trafficker to sell drugs on his behalf. Additionally, a surveillance operation revealed individuals in a black Mercedes van transporting cash to and from Lax's residence, which later resulted in the seizure of six kilograms of cocaine and over $100,000 in cash during a search in Dayton, Ohio. was associated.

This is not Lax's first brush with the law. In 2018, Lax was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. At that time, Lax admitted to having a .45-caliber Taurus pistol during a conflict with his neighbors in Lexington. His previous convictions include two counts of cocaine possession and aiding and abetting first-degree manslaughter in 2012.

Lax is now charged under Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and Title 18, Section 922(g)(1) for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon accused. Both charges carry significant penalties, including the possibility of lengthy prison sentences.

According to the criminal complaint, Lax admitted to possessing both the firearms and the narcotics found during the search.

If convicted, Lax faces significant additional prison time, especially given his prior felony convictions. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.