Jacob Kessler, Oxycodone Trafficking, West Virginia 2013

A 25-year-old Glen Dale man has been charged with oxycodone trafficking after a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment against him.

Jacob Kessler, 25, was arrested today after the indictment was handed down. He is accused of selling oxycodone throughout 2013, with at least one instance occurring near West Virginia Northern Community College in February of that year.

The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, conducted the investigation that led to Kessler's arrest. The task force discovered that Kessler repeatedly sold oxycodone throughout 2013, and that he had traveled between Bellaire, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia to distribute the painkillers.

Kessler is charged with nine counts related to oxycodone trafficking, including:

• One count of 'Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering,' which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
• Four counts of 'Use of a Telephone Facility to Facilitate the Distribution of Oxycodone,' each carrying a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
• Three counts of 'Distribution of Oxycodone,' each carrying a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.00.
• One count of 'Distribution of Oxycodone within 1,000 feet of a Protected Location,' which carries a maximum sentence of forty years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000.00.

Kessler is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Bernard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

Kessler's arrest is a result of a joint effort between local law enforcement agencies and the HIDTA-funded initiative. The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against oxycodone trafficking in the region.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/glen-dale-wv-man-charged-oxycodone-trafficking