Demarkco Canty, Fentanyl Trafficking, West Virginia 2026

Martinsburg, West Virginia, June 18, 2026 – In a stark reminder of the dangers of fentanyl, Demarkco Canty, 23, of Parkville, Maryland has been sentence to 115 months in prison for working with others to sell approximately 200,000 lethal doses of fentanyl. This devastating crime has left a trail of death and destruction in its wake, highlighting the need for concerted efforts to combat the scourge of fentanyl trafficking.

Canty acted as the delivery man for the leader of the drug trafficking organization, Sean Jarred Davis of Baltimore, who was sentence to 240 months in prison in December 2024. The organization was selling hundreds of grams of purple fentanyl across the region. In all, 20 defendants were convicted and sentenced to a combined 41 years in prison.

In a separate case, James Shanholtz, 38, of Springfield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 92 months and Gregory Brian Harrison, 54, of Romney, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months. Both men were working together with others to sell methamphetamine in Hampshire County.

Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality, which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the government to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.

The investigative agencies involved in this case include the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office; the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office; the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office; the Grant County Sheriff’s Office; and the Keyser Police Department.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuting on behalf of the government.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of fentanyl trafficking on communities across the country. It is essential that we continue to work together to combat this scourge and bring those responsible to justice.

Stay tuned for further updates on this case and our ongoing efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking.

[Image: A map of West Virginia with a red pin marking the location of the case]

Contact: editor@grimytimes.com for more information.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/fentanyl-and-methamphetamine-dealers-sentenced