Aaron Christopher Stidham, Fentanyl Trafficking, Virginia 2022

Fentanyl Trafficking Bust in Virginia: 22-Year-Old Given 60-Month Prison Sentence

A disturbing trend of opioid trafficking in Virginia has led to a significant blow with the sentencing of Aaron Christopher Stidham, a 22-year-old from Exeter, Virginia. Stidham was handed a 60-month prison sentence for conspiring to sell fentanyl pills purchased from social media platforms.

According to court documents, between February 2021 and February 2022, Stidham regularly ordered 1,000 fentanyl pills every few weeks from his source in California via Snapchat and Instagram. These pills were then mailed to Big Stone Gap, Virginia, where they were resold to co-conspirators Paul Mason Perkins of Big Stone Gap, Austin Jeremiah Lane of Norton, and Cheyenne Cassie Carico also of Norton.

The investigation into Stidham's activities involved the Wise County Sheriff's Office, the Norton Police Department, the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

The charges against Stidham include conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. His guilty plea in August 2022 led to the current sentence.

Aaron Christopher Stidham's sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle against opioid trafficking in the United States. This case highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in combating the sale of illicit substances.

Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Aaron Christopher Stidham, Exeter, Virginia
Charges: Conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl
City and State: Abingdon, Virginia
Date: August 2022 (guilty plea), March 2023 (sentencing)
Sentence: 60 months in federal prison
Amount: 1,000 fentanyl pills every few weeks

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/pr/wise-county-man-sentenced-60-months-trafficking-fentanyl-pills