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Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years
A Gilmer County man has been sentenced to nearly 18 years in prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution operation.
Joshua Lee Rutherford, 32, of Linn, West Virginia, was sentenced to 215 months of incarceration for his role in the operation, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard.
Rutherford pled guilty in January 2021 to one count of "Possession with Intent to Distribute at Least Forty Grams of Fentanyl—Aiding and Abetting." He admitted to having more than 40 grams of fentanyl, enough to kill more than 13,000 people, in Hardy County in January 2020.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner on behalf of the government. The investigation was conducted by the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative comprised of the DEA, the FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the case.
The indictment and sentencing are a significant blow to the fentanyl trafficking operation in the region, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.
A link to the related press release can be found here.
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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