Tonya Thompson Guilty

Tonya Lynn Thompson, 44, of Huntington, has pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge, specifically conspiracy to distribute heroin, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto.

According to the plea agreement, Thompson admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Huntington area from the summer of 2016 to September 2016. During this time, Thompson and another individual received heroin on consignment, which they would then distribute and return the proceeds to the heroin source.

A significant seizure of cash occurred on September 5, 2016, when a deputy with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department stopped Thompson and another individual during a traffic stop on U.S. Route 60 in Huntington. The deputy seized $6,407 in cash, which Thompson admitted was proceeds from drug trafficking and was being delivered back to the heroin source.

Thompson further admitted that she and others were responsible for distributing up to 400 grams of heroin during her involvement in the conspiracy. This large-scale distribution of heroin has significant implications for the community, contributing to the ongoing opioid epidemic in West Virginia.

Thompson faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on August 7, 2017. The investigation was conducted by the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.

This prosecution is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open-air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.

The guilty plea of Tonya Lynn Thompson serves as a significant step forward in the fight against heroin trafficking in West Virginia. As the state continues to grapple with the opioid epidemic, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors remain vigilant in their pursuit of those responsible for distributing these deadly drugs. The people of West Virginia can be assured that authorities will continue to work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice and make their communities safer.