Parkersburg Meth Kingpin McGuirk Sentenced to 25 Years

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The grim reality of the drug trade collided with justice today as Terrence McGuirk, 51, from Parkersburg, was sentenced to federal prison for his role in a vast methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that McGuirk has been locked away for 25 years with no possibility of parole after being found guilty of distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

“Project Parkersburg,” Stuart said, “has turned the tables on drug traffickers in West Virginia. McGuirk’s sentence is a stark reminder that those who profit from the sale of illegal drugs will face severe consequences.”

McGuirk, caught in Dayton, Ohio, while picking up over 120 pounds of meth, had been pooling his resources with other conspirators to buy drugs from sources in Phoenix, Arizona. His distribution network stretched across Parkersburg, Clarksburg, and even reached as far as Florida. At his mother’s residence in Kissimmee, agents uncovered $65,000 cash believed to be drug proceeds.

The court found McGuirk guilty of leading the conspiracy and attempting to obstruct justice by intimidating witnesses. As part of Project Parkersburg, a major strike against a multi-state drug trafficking organization, at least 29 individuals have been charged, with significant seizures including 121 pounds of meth, six kilograms of cocaine, and 217 grams of heroin.

Of the defendants in federal court, ten have already been sentenced, while three await theirs this year. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Jeremy Wolfe are handling the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.

For further information, visit the Southern District of West Virginia’s website or PACER for court documents under Case No. 2:18-cr-00225. Follow @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart for updates on this case.