Two Boone County women are headed to federal prison after being sentenced in a methamphetamine trafficking ring that operated across southern West Virginia. Megan Rose Mitchell, 38, was hit with a 34-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and actual distribution, while her sister-in-law, Marlena Sperry, received 12 months and one day on identical charges, including aiding and abetting the drug sales.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charleston confirmed the sentences, marking the end of a years-long investigation into a network that stretched from Charleston to remote corners of Boone County. United States Attorney Mike Stuart didn’t mince words: “Sisters-in-law and partners in crime. Boone County needs new businesses and entrepreneurs, but none like this sister act. Meth is more powerful today than ever before and we’re working overtime to lock up meth dealers whether they are sisters-in-law or sisters in fact.”
From July 2016 to August 2017, Mitchell led the operation, selling meth directly to buyers while relying on Sperry to assist in deliveries and connect with their supplier. The pair regularly traveled to Charleston to meet Avante Jones, their source, who provided bulk meth for resale. In exchange for bringing new customers to Jones, the women received discounted rates — a calculated move that expanded the drug network’s reach.
Communications between the trio were largely conducted through Facebook Messenger, a digital paper trail that investigators seized on. DEA agents, members of the U.S. 119 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and Boone County Sheriff’s deputies uncovered messages detailing meetups, transactions, and logistics for drug drops. Some posts even referenced third-party distributors who helped move the product when Mitchell or Sperry couldn’t.
On multiple occasions, Sperry personally delivered meth to customers who had arranged purchases through Mitchell. Other times, uncharged associates handled distribution. Despite the division of labor, prosecutors proved both women were deeply embedded in the conspiracy, leveraging family ties to avoid suspicion while fueling addiction in their community.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey and heard by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. With the sentences handed down, federal authorities are sending a clear message: no relationship — familial or otherwise — insulates drug traffickers from federal time. The DEA continues to target supply chains feeding the opioid and meth crisis in Appalachia.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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