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.