Charleston Man Gets 18 Months in Heroin Ring

Matthew Michael Meadows, 31, of Charleston, is headed to federal prison for 18 months after admitting his role in a multi-state heroin conspiracy that flooded streets in Huntington and Charleston with deadly doses between 2014 and 2016. U.S. Attorney Carol Casto announced the sentence today, marking another takedown in a sprawling drug network that stretched from California to the heart of Appalachia.

Meadows pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, admitting he repeatedly met with co-conspirator Corey Bruce Toney in Huntington to collect heroin—often between five grams and one ounce at a time. He then shipped the poison back to Charleston, sold it, and returned the cash to Toney. The operation ran like clockwork for nearly two years, exploiting vulnerable communities and fueling the opioid crisis in West Virginia.

Toney, already convicted in September 2016, admitted to coordinating large-scale drug shipments from California and Michigan—heroin, crack, marijuana, and Xanax—all funneled into Huntington. His guilty plea peeled back the curtain on a sophisticated trafficking ring that used interstate highways and postal services to move product and profits. Toney awaits sentencing as part of the ongoing federal crackdown.

The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, spanned years and roped in a coalition of enforcers: West Virginia State Police, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Huntington Police, FBI Drug Task Force, Ohio Highway Patrol, ATF, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Their combined intelligence dismantled the network, resulting in ten convictions—including Meadows and Toney.

Besides the two central figures, eight others have pleaded guilty: Atari Seantay Brown, Parker Wyatt Mays, Sean Lee Braggs, Samuel E. Nelson, III, Tanisha Lynette Wooding, Deandra Sheen Jones, Roy Bills, and Arthur James Canada, who was already hit with 46 months in prison. Each played a role in distribution, transportation, or coordination across state lines, exposing the depth of the operation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecutions under Chief U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers, who imposed Meadows’ sentence. The cases fall under the Southern District of West Virginia’s aggressive campaign to dismantle drug trafficking, shut down open-air markets, and stop the flood of illegal substances. The message is clear: no corner of the district is off-limits to federal justice.

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