BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Detroit man has been handed a severe sentence for his role in the fentanyl trade. Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, was sentenced to nine years and seven months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On April 30, 2024, law enforcement responded to a disturbance at a Mount Hope residence, where they seized four firearms and 19.896 grams of fentanyl from Phillips’ bedroom. The Detroit native admitted his involvement in the drug trade, confessing to using two others to sell fentanyl while he resided in West Virginia.
Phillips’ criminal history includes previous convictions for armed robbery and multiple drug offenses. His co-conspirators, Robert Lee Moran and Kayla Nicole Dent, were also penalized for their involvement. Moran was sentenced to nine months in prison, with three years of supervised release, while Dent received five years of federal probation.
Lisa G. Johnston, Acting United States Attorney, praised the ATF and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for their diligent investigation. Chief U.S. District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the sentencing hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.
Details of the press release are available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, with related court documents accessible via PACER by searching Case No. 5:24-cr-142.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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