Ernest Russell Claypool, Jr., Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution, West Virginia 2018

Eight individuals from Clarksburg, West Virginia, have been charged with operating a massive heroin and fentanyl distribution ring in Harrison County.

The charges come after a 30-count indictment was handed down by a grand jury on January 9, 2018, accusing the defendants of conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana from an unknown date to September 2017.

Those named in the indictment are Ernest Russell Claypool, Jr., 53, Michelle Elaine Queen, 46, Chadley Russell Claypool, 31, Armand Taylor, 24, Jordan Michael Conaway, 23, Colton Justice Kallel, 21, Zachery Allen Queen, 25, and Kamesha Sherrail Claypool, 23.

The indictment alleges that the defendants were involved in a large-scale distribution operation, selling heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana to users in Harrison County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force and the West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case highlights the ongoing struggle with opioid addiction and distribution in West Virginia. The state has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic, with many residents struggling with addiction and overdose.

The defendants’ alleged actions are a stark reminder of the dangers of heroin and fentanyl, and the need for continued law enforcement efforts to combat the distribution of these deadly substances.