Detroit Heroin Dealer Washington Gets 3+ Years

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Djuan Levell Washington, 28, of Detroit, is heading to federal prison after a damning traffic stop exposed a heroin operation and an illegally carried firearm. Washington was sentenced today to three years and eleven months behind bars by Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers, following a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin.

The bust unfolded on July 24, 2015, on the 300 block of 31st Street in Huntington. Officers initiated a traffic stop, and as the vehicle slowed, Washington was clearly observed tossing three plastic bags from the passenger window. A police dashboard camera corroborated the evidence, capturing the act in plain view. Recovered from those discarded bags were a staggering 126 individual baggies of heroin, alongside ten individually wrapped baggies of crack cocaine – a clear indication of intent to distribute.

But the drugs weren’t the only illegal items in Washington’s possession. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Hi-Point 9 millimeter pistol tucked away in a backpack belonging to the defendant. Washington admitted to investigators that he planned to sell the heroin and crack, cementing his role as a drug trafficker preying on the vulnerable in the Huntington area.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in tackling the opioid crisis. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey led the prosecution, successfully securing a significant sentence for Washington.

This case isn’t isolated. United States Attorney Carol Casto’s office for the Southern District of West Virginia is actively prosecuting drug crimes as part of a broader, ongoing campaign to dismantle illegal drug networks. The focus extends beyond heroin, targeting prescription pill abuse and the proliferation of opioid painkillers, with a commitment to shutting down open-air drug markets and stemming the tide of addiction across the region.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, alongside its federal, state, and local partners, vows to continue aggressively pursuing individuals involved in illegal drug trafficking. This sentencing sends a clear message: bringing dangerous drugs into Southern West Virginia communities will be met with swift and severe consequences. Follow SDWVNews on Twitter for updates on federal crime in the region.

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