Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking

Huntington man Aaron Scott Midkiff, 36, pleaded guilty today to federal meth trafficking after being caught with 166 grams of the drug during a traffic stop. The bust—part of a sweeping OCDETF operation—exposes the gritty underbelly of West Virginia’s ongoing drug crisis.

On January 14, 2021, Midkiff was riding as a passenger when Cabell County Sheriff’s deputies pulled over the vehicle. As the car came to a halt, Midkiff tossed a bundle out the window—166 grams of methamphetamine, later recovered by law enforcement. Inside his possession, deputies also found digital scales and plastic bags—tools of the trade for distribution.

Midkiff admitted in court to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of meth. The charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison. He is scheduled for sentencing on February 22, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney L. Cremeans and Joseph F. Adams. U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson praised the coordinated takedown, crediting the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force—made up of officers from the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, Hurricane Police, and Marshall University Police.

Additional support came from the FBI, DEA, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, Ohio Highway Patrol, Kentucky State Police, and federal agencies in Columbus, Ohio. The investigation operated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a nationwide initiative targeting high-level drug networks.

Documents in the case, filed under 3:21-cr-00109, are publicly available via PACER. This prosecution underscores the federal crackdown on drug trafficking corridors in Appalachia, where meth and opioids continue to fuel violent crime and addiction. Midkiff’s fate now rests with the court.

RELATED: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

RELATED: Huntington Crack Dealer ‘Ty’ Grigsby Admits Guilt