Lindsey Alyn Thacker, Heroin Trafficking, West Virginia 2023

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Lindsey Alyn Thacker, 29, of Huntington, will spend the next three years behind bars for allowing heroin to be trafficked through her home.

According to United States Attorney Booth Goodwin, Thacker’s residence on 11th Avenue in Huntington was used by drug dealers from Detroit, Michigan to store and sell heroin from summer 2012 to summer 2013. In exchange for her role in facilitating the heroin trade, Thacker received heroin for personal use.

A search of Thacker’s home turned up approximately 0.3 grams of heroin and over $1,000 in cash, which was likely proceeds from drug sales. Thacker also admitted to making six to seven trips to Detroit to purchase heroin and crack cocaine from an individual she knew as Zack or Zane, later identified as Zachary Merritt.

Merritt, along with several others, was charged and pleaded guilty for their roles in trafficking heroin in Huntington. The case is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin in the Southern District of West Virginia.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, has made it a priority to aggressively pursue and shut down illegal pill trafficking, eliminate open-air drug markets, and curb the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.

Thacker’s sentence is a reminder that those who enable and facilitate the heroin trade will be held accountable for their actions. As the opioid epidemic continues to ravage communities across the country, it is more important than ever that we take a tough stance against those who profit from the suffering of others.

Chief Judge Robert C. Chambers sentenced Thacker to three years imprisonment for maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing heroin. The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of heroin addiction and the importance of addressing the root causes of this epidemic.

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