BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin Scott Keyes, 36, has admitted his role in a dangerous conspiracy to distribute fentanyl across the Southern District of West Virginia. Keyes pleaded guilty today, facing severe consequences for his actions.
According to court documents and statements made during his plea hearing, Keyes conspired with an unnamed individual between October 2024 and January 2025 to sell drugs in the region. During this period, he and his co-conspirator sold a total of 12.34 grams of fentanyl on four occasions, each transaction involving a confidential informant.
The drug sales were conducted at Keyes’ residence in Beckley, where he lived with his co-conspirator. The co-conspirator was responsible for communicating with the confidential informant prior to each sale.
On January 29, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Keyes’ home and seized two firearms—a Ruger model EC9s 9mm pistol and a Taurus model G3c 9mm pistol. Keyes confessed that the weapons were his and had been traded for drugs.
Scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026, Keyes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Lisa G. Johnston, Acting United States Attorney, praised the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for their work on this case. The hearing was presided over by United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn, with Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuting.
For more information and related court documents, visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia or search PACER using Case No. 5:25-cr-73.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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