Joshua Allen Hinkle, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, West Virginia 2020

A high-stakes fentanyl trafficking case in West Virginia has taken a guilty plea from a local resident. Joshua Allen Hinkle, a 36-year-old man from Cabins, West Virginia, admitted to conspiring to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl in April 2020 in Grant County and elsewhere.

The charges stem from an investigation led by the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

Hinkle faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years of incarceration, along with a fine of up to $5,000,000, for the conspiracy charge. Additionally, he faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the possession of fentanyl charge.

The actual sentence Hinkle will receive will be determined by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, taking into account the severity of the offenses and any prior criminal history he may have.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the case.

The case against Joshua Allen Hinkle serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by fentanyl trafficking in West Virginia and the importance of collaborative law enforcement efforts to combat this issue.

Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/grant-county-man-admits-fentanyl-charge-0