CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man has been convicted of a federal drug crime. Justin Saunders, 27, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2024, Saunders sold approximately 896 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. Saunders admitted to the transaction and that it occurred at his residence on the 1400 block of Quarrier Street in Charleston.
On February 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Saunders’ residence and seized quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and metonitazene, a synthetic opioid.
Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-70.
Related Federal Cases
- Justin Thomas Mann, Heroin Distribution, West Virginia 2016 · Virginia
- Tyler Robinson, Methamphetamine Distribution, West Virginia 2024 · Virginia
- Calvin Norris Herron, Distribution of Methamphetamine, West Virginia 2023 · Texas
- David Maxwell, Methamphetamine Distribution, West Virginia 2024 · Virginia
- Christina Crites, Distribution of Methamphetamine in Proximity of a Protected Location, West Virginia 2024 · Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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