⏱ 2 min read
A 23-year-old woman from Cumberland, Maryland, has admitted to her role in a drug trafficking operation that spanned from her home state to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Alyssa Ellen Hockenberry pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in Mineral County, West Virginia, and elsewhere. The operation involved the illegal distribution of controlled substances, posing a grave threat to public safety. Hockenberry’s guilty plea came before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble.
According to court documents, Hockenberry was one of the suppliers and distributors of the illicit substances. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Maryland State Police, the Hagerstown Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
Hockenberry faces up to 20 years in prison for her role in the drug trafficking operation. Her sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The guilty plea comes as fentanyl continues to pose a significant threat to public safety. The substance has been designated as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality, even in trace amounts. The investigation and prosecution of Hockenberry’s case demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the spread of illicit substances and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: West Virginia
- Location: WV
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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