CHARLESTON, WV – Andre Dewayne Williamson, 36, known on the streets as “A3,” is headed back to prison for two decades after a federal jury found him guilty of peddling fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm. The sentencing, handed down Wednesday, marks the latest chapter in a long and violent criminal career for the Charleston resident.
Williamson was convicted on five counts of distributing fentanyl to a confidential informant between July 5 and July 25, 2022. During one of those transactions, on July 5th, he had a pistol on his person. Federal prosecutors successfully argued the firearm was directly linked to the drug trafficking, intended to protect his stash, profits, and himself. The evidence presented during the three-day trial clearly demonstrated a pattern of illicit activity.
But this wasn’t a first offense – not by a long shot. Williamson’s rap sheet stretches back years, riddled with violent and drug-related convictions. In 2018, he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. Prior convictions also include unlawful assault with a firearm and wanton endangerment (2008), multiple counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm (2013), and possession with intent to deliver cocaine (2018), all within Kanawha County Circuit Court. He was already on parole when he resumed dealing fentanyl.
The history of violence is particularly disturbing. Court records reveal Williamson has been involved in incidents resulting in death and serious injury. He fatally shot one individual, wounded another in the leg, and participated in an altercation where a third person was killed. This established pattern of aggression, coupled with his continued drug dealing, painted a clear picture of a dangerous individual, according to federal authorities.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson didn’t mince words. “Andre Williamson is a longtime criminal, and has a history of not only violent offenses but also drug-dealing offenses. He was sentenced today for dealing fentanyl, which I think is one of our greatest threats we’re currently dealing with, both in our state and our society,” Thompson stated. Senior U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the 20-year prison sentence, followed by six years of supervised release.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, the Charleston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie M. White and Joshua Hanks led the prosecution. The case is documented under PACER case number 2:22-cr-154. While the sentence offers some relief, the prevalence of fentanyl continues to plague West Virginia, and law enforcement remains focused on dismantling these dangerous operations.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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