Joshua Michael Conger, Methamphetamine Possession, West Virginia 2020

A Wood County man has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking operation. Joshua Michael Conger, 41, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two handguns were also found in his vehicle.

Conger had previously been convicted in Wood County Circuit Court of operating a methamphetamine laboratory in 2012 and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in 2016. He was on parole at the time of his arrest in June 2018, but he failed to stay clean and continued his criminal activity.

According to the investigation, Conger possessed 388 grams of methamphetamine when his vehicle was searched by the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The search also uncovered two handguns that Conger was in possession of.

Conger pled guilty in January 2020 and admitted to the charges against him. He will serve 90 months in federal prison and five years on supervised release after his release.

United States Attorney Mike Stuart expressed his disappointment in Conger's actions, stating, “Conger was given a second chance when state court gave him parole. But what did he do? He went right back to drugs and guns. Not this time - there’s no parole in the federal system.”

The sentence was imposed by Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks handled the prosecution of the case.

Conger's case serves as a reminder that law enforcement will continue to crack down on those who engage in methamphetamine trafficking and other serious crimes. The Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the FBI worked together to bring Conger to justice and will continue to work together to keep the community safe.

Follow us on Twitter @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart for updates on this and other cases in the region.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/wood-county-parolee-sentenced-federal-drug-offense