Bradley Markley, Heroin Distribution, West Virginia 2017

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Another dealer pushing poison onto the streets of the Eastern Panhandle is facing the music. Bradley Markley, 31, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, was arraigned today after being formally accused by a federal grand jury of distributing heroin.

The indictment, returned May 16, 2017, alleges that Markley engaged in the distribution of heroin back in October 2016, right here in Berkeley County. The specifics of the transaction – the amount, the location, the buyer – remain sealed, but the feds clearly believe they have enough to move forward.

Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced the indictment, a standard procedure, but it’s a procedure that could put Markley away for a significant stretch if convicted. The Eastern Panhandle is ground zero for the opioid crisis, and federal prosecutors aren’t playing games.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski is leading the prosecution, and she’s up against a system that’s clogged with cases just like this one. But the government has a powerful tool at its disposal: the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) funded initiative that’s been relentlessly pursuing these cases.

This isn’t a conviction; it’s an accusation. Bradley Markley is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the indictment signals a serious escalation in the legal battle, and another attempt to stem the tide of heroin flooding West Virginia communities.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and bring you updates as they develop. The opioid epidemic continues to ravage the state, and we’re committed to exposing the individuals profiting from the misery of others. Stay tuned for further developments in the case of Bradley Markley and the ongoing fight against drug trafficking in the Eastern Panhandle.