Rolland Kwame Owens, Cocaine Conspiracy, West Virginia 2023

A major cocaine distribution operation in West Virginia has come to an end with the guilty plea of Rolland Kwame Owens, a 30-year-old man from Steubenville, Ohio.

Owens, also known as “Buster,” admitted to his role in the conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in Hancock County and elsewhere from February 2018 to August 2019.

According to U.S. Attorney Bill Powell, Owens pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride, Cocaine Base, Heroin, and Fentanyl.”

Owens faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between multiple agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Jefferson County, Ohio, Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force; the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office; the Brooke County Sheriff’s Office; the Weirton Police Department; and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police.

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

Owens' guilty plea marks a significant victory in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking in West Virginia. The case is a reminder that law enforcement agencies will continue to work together to bring perpetrators to justice and keep our communities safe.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/steubenville-man-admits-drug-conspiracy-0