CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Another West Virginia dealer is facing hard time. Paul Thomasson, 57, of Delbarton, admitted in federal court today to peddling methamphetamine, adding to the state’s ongoing struggle with the drug. The guilty plea brings Thomasson one step closer to a potential 20-year stretch behind bars.
According to court records, Thomasson wasn’t dealing to just anyone. He twice sold quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant right in Delbarton, on October 4, 2021, and again on October 12, 2021. The details of those transactions – the amounts, the methods – remain sealed, but they were enough to secure a conviction.
The feds aren’t messing around. Thomasson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Frank W. Volk. If convicted, he’s looking at a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Beyond that, he’ll face three years of supervised release after he gets out, and a hefty $250,000 fine. That’s a steep price for pushing poison in a state already ravaged by addiction.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson announced the guilty plea, but he didn’t stop there. He specifically called out the work of the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, acknowledging their role in bringing Thomasson to justice. These task forces are the boots on the ground, risking their necks to chip away at the drug trade, one dealer at a time.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is handling the prosecution. The case is filed as 2:22-cr-141 in PACER, and a copy of the press release is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia. Don’t expect a sympathetic hearing; the courts are increasingly focused on holding drug traffickers accountable.
This case serves as a stark reminder: dealing drugs in West Virginia carries significant federal penalties. The U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force and the Department of Justice continue to target those profiting from addiction, and they’re clearly willing to throw the book at them. Thomasson’s fate will likely serve as a warning to others considering the same path.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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