Denson Pleads Guilty

A North Carolina heroin dealer has pleaded guilty to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Adam Denson, 28, of Gastonia, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin.

Denson admitted that on May 14, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place at Little Page Terrace in Charleston. Denson further admitted that he sold heroin to a confidential informant on three additional occasions in May 2015.

The guilty plea is the result of an investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.

Denson faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 23, 2017. The sentence will be determined by the court based on the severity of the crime and Denson’s prior record.

This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.

The investigation and prosecution of Denson’s case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to addressing the heroin epidemic in West Virginia. The state has been hit hard by the opioid crisis, with many lives lost to overdose and addiction. The guilty plea is a step towards holding accountable those who contribute to the problem and towards finding solutions to the crisis.