Charleston Woman Gets 3 Years for Meth Trafficking

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A 45-year-old woman from Charleston was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison after admitting to possessing and dealing more than 680 grams of methamphetamine. Courtney Ferrell’s conviction marks another blow to the underground drug trade fueling West Virginia’s opioid and stimulant crisis.

Ferrell pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a charge stemming from two separate searches conducted in late 2018. On October 12, law enforcement raided her home, uncovering 500 grams of the potent stimulant. Then, on November 15, officers searched her room at the Motel 6 in Cross Lanes and seized an additional 134 grams—confirming her active role in distribution.

Altogether, Ferrell accepted responsibility for 680.33 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity prosecutors argue clearly exceeds personal use and signals intent to sell. She now faces not only prison but four years of supervised release upon her return to society.

The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), a multi-agency task force built to dismantle regional drug networks. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie White and former AUSA Ryan Saunders prosecuted the case, pushing for accountability in a state ravaged by addiction and overdose deaths.

Sentencing was handed down by Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber, who emphasized the danger posed by unchecked drug distribution. U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart wasted no words: “My team is doing what it does best—putting criminals behind bars and ridding the streets of dangerous drugs and drug dealers.”

Ferrell’s case, docketed as 2:19-cr-00269, is publicly accessible via PACER. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia released the official statement, reinforcing its commitment to aggressive prosecution of drug-related offenses across the state.

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