Texas Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution in West Virginia

Clarksville, West Virginia – In a shocking turn of events, a 24-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to 87 months of incarceration for his role in a methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin drug distribution operation. According to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld, Jeffrey Howard, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of ‘Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.’

Howard admitted to having methamphetamine in Monongalia County in September 2019. The case, which has garnered significant attention, highlights the ongoing struggle against organized crime in the region.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI’s Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force, in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the case. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; and the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City Police Departments.

The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office; the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department’s Multi Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the case. The investigation has led to a significant blow against organized crime in the region, and authorities hope that it will serve as a deterrent to others who may be involved in similar activities.

Related case: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/25-people-indicted-drug-trafficking-operation-spanned-several-states

The case against Jeffrey Howard serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle against organized crime in our communities. As a nation, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to disrupt and dismantle these networks and bring those responsible to justice.

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