A 56-year-old Gardner, Kansas, man is going to be spending nearly two decades in the Missouri Department of Corrections after a jury’s verdict was handed down last month.

Lafayette County Prosecuting Attorney Kristen Ellis-Hilbrenner announced that Michael Clayton was found guilty on May 5 of Felonies for Trafficking drugs in the First Degree, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Forgery.

Clayton was found guilty by a Lafayette County jury on all counts for events that took place on or about November 13, 2019, in Lexington. In this case, Clayton was found in possession of more than 34 grams of methamphetamine in multiple baggies, a set of digital scales and several fake $100 bills.

On June 7, Clayton was sentenced by Presiding Judge Dennis Rolf to 15 years for the Class B Felony of Trafficking in the First Degree and three years for the Class D Felony of Forgery in the Missouri Department of Corrections; and six months in the Lafayette County Jail for the class A misdemeanor of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The sentences for Trafficking and Forgery are to run consecutively for a total of 18 years.