Two Mineral County men have admitted to pushing cocaine in the heart of West Virginia’s opioid-ravaged Alleghenies. Jordan Foster, 22, of Piedmont, and Brandon Suter, 26, of Keyser, stood before federal judges and confessed to their roles in a 2017 drug ring that fed addiction in a region already drowning in substance abuse.
Foster pleaded guilty to one count of ‘Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride,’ admitting he handled and sold the drug in August 2017 across Mineral County. Law enforcement sources say the investigation uncovered a network operating under the radar for months, exploiting rural blind spots and tight-knit communities to move narcotics.
Suter, his accomplice, pled guilty to ‘Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Hydrochloride,’ confirming he helped Foster maintain control over the stash and facilitated distribution. Federal prosecutors argue his role was not peripheral—it was pivotal.
Both men now face the full wrath of federal sentencing: up to 20 years behind bars and fines reaching $1,000,000 each. While the statutory maximum looms, the actual sentence will hinge on the severity of their conduct and any prior criminal ghosts unearthed by probation officers.
The case was investigated by a coalition of local and regional enforcers—the Potomac Highlands Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser City Police Department—whose joint efforts peeled back layers of secrecy to expose the operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is handling the prosecution.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the proceedings, marking another flashpoint in the federal crackdown on rural drug trafficking. In Mineral County, where hope often struggles to take root, the arrests offer a raw reminder: the feds are watching, and the price of dealing is about to be paid.
Related Federal Cases
- Jose Vidal-Carcamo Gets 13 Months for Cocaine Distribution · West Virginia
- Clarksburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution · West Virginia
- Ruben L. Aguilar Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution · West Virginia
- Mineral County Man Sutter Sentenced for Heroin Distribution · West Virginia
- Quashad Maurante Pugh Admits to Cocaine Distribution in Wheeling · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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