Mario Lavonta Ward, Fentanyl Distribution, West Virginia 2021

Tennessee Man Admits Distributing Fentanyl in West Virginia

BECKLEY, W.Va. – A shocking case of fentanyl distribution has come to light in West Virginia. Mario Lavonta Ward, a 46-year-old man from Tennessee, pleaded guilty to distributing the deadly substance.

Court documents reveal that on June 8, 2021, Ward sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $200. The transaction took place near Beckley. A search warrant was executed at the residence where the drug transaction occurred, resulting in the discovery of additional quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, a firearm, and $6,500 in cash. The cash recovered included the $200 used by the confidential informant to purchase the fentanyl.

Ward agreed to forfeit the money and the firearm as part of his plea deal. He also admitted to knowing that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to a prior felony conviction.

The defendant, Mario Lavonta Ward, faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 27, 2022. The United States Attorney, Will Thompson, commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.

The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of fentanyl distribution and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to combat it.

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