Daron Buford, Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin, West Virginia 2017

A 27-year-old Detroit man has been brought to justice for his role in a heroin distribution operation in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Daron Buford, 27, pled guilty to one count of ‘Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin’ in a court hearing.

The crime occurred in July 2017, when Buford sold heroin in the county. Buford faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.

The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the case. The guilty plea is a significant blow to the heroin distribution operation and a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.

The people of Monongalia County can rest easier knowing that one of the individuals responsible for bringing heroin into their community has been brought to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle heroin trafficking operations in our state.

Buford is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. The investigation and prosecution of this case are a prime example of the collaborative efforts between federal and state agencies to combat the heroin epidemic in West Virginia.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Drug Trafficking

Kevin Anthony Walker, Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Maryland 2011

Jan 26, 2015

Drug Trafficking

Sylvester Deangelo Walker, Distribution of Methamphetamine, West Virginia 2020

Dec 2, 2020

Drug Trafficking

Johnny Triplett, Cocaine and Heroin Conspiracy, Louisiana 2021

Aug 23, 2021

Drug Trafficking

Terrance Lewis, Heroin Distribution, Pennsylvania 2015

Feb 6, 2018