CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Antwaun Winbush, 45, of Charleston, is facing a long stretch behind bars after receiving a 12-year and seven-month federal sentence on Monday, July 21, 2025. Winbush was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine – a charge stemming from a pattern of reckless disregard for the law and public safety.
The latest sentencing is the culmination of a series of incidents dating back to 2021. On March 25, 2024, Winbush attempted to outrun a Putnam County law enforcement officer on U.S. Route 35. The pursuit quickly escalated, with Winbush exceeding 100 miles per hour and actively dumping quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana onto the roadway. The brazen act didn’t stop there: some of the thrown meth struck the officer’s patrol vehicle, and the officer inhaled the substance through the vehicle’s air vents. Winbush nearly caused multiple collisions before losing control and crashing.
Investigators recovered some, but not all, of the 141.8 grams of methamphetamine Winbush jettisoned during the chase. But this wasn’t an isolated incident. Court records reveal a prior traffic stop on October 4, 2021, in Jackson County, where officers seized a staggering 227 grams of meth, 8 grams of cocaine, 14.7 grams of fentanyl, and a hidden .357-caliber Glock pistol. Winbush admitted to intending to distribute the drugs. Then, on December 24, 2023, a search warrant executed at Winbush’s residence uncovered more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, another firearm, ammunition, and the tools of the trade – scales, cutting agents, and plastic baggies.
“Winbush’s criminal history dates back 30 years and includes 20 adult convictions,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “Winbush has shown time and again that he is only deterred from continuing his criminal conduct and putting citizens at risk when he is incarcerated.” Johnston specifically commended the officers who risked their lives during the Putnam County pursuit, highlighting Winbush’s “reckless attempt to flee” and the danger he posed to both law enforcement and the public.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. handed down the sentence, with Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price leading the prosecution. Winbush will serve his 12 years and seven months, followed by five years of supervised release. The case was a collaborative effort between the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle against drug trafficking in West Virginia and the lengths to which some individuals will go to profit from the misery of others. A full copy of the press release is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia, and related court documents can be found on PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-154.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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