Eric Wiseman, Marijuana Trafficking, West Virginia 2024

Eric Wiseman, a 39-year-old man from South Charleston, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to attempting to possess with intent to distribute nearly 6.1 kilograms of marijuana, a federal drug trafficking offense. The plea, entered in the Southern District of West Virginia, seals Wiseman’s involvement in a coordinated scheme to import and sell bulk marijuana in the Charleston metro area.

On November 7, 2019, Wiseman arranged for the delivery of the marijuana to his residence, admitting he intended to distribute the narcotics for profit. The shipment was intercepted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which then orchestrated a controlled delivery as part of an active investigation. When law enforcement executed the ruse, Wiseman accepted the package, confirming his criminal intent.

U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart made no apologies for prosecuting the case, despite shifting public attitudes toward marijuana. ‘Arranging for the delivery of marijuana and the sale of marijuana amounts to drug trafficking,’ Stuart said. ‘U.S. Attorneys don’t make the laws. I don’t make the laws, I enforce the laws – all laws. Marijuana is illegal under federal law and my office prosecutes all federal crimes, including those involving marijuana.’

The investigation was conducted by MDENT, a multi-agency task force targeting high-level drug operations across central West Virginia. The probe relied on surveillance, controlled deliveries, and witness cooperation to build a case that led directly to Wiseman’s doorstep. Evidence presented in court showed premeditated planning and financial arrangements for distribution.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Wiseman now faces up to five years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 12, 2020. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is leading the prosecution.

Court documents and related records are available through PACER under Case No. 2:20-cr-00122. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia released the official statement, which can be found on their website. Follow updates from the office on Twitter via @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart.

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