Ruben L. Aguilar, Cocaine Base Conspiracy, WV 2024

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Ruben L. Aguilar, 29, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, admitted in federal court today to trafficking in cocaine base, a conviction that could land him behind bars for two decades.

Aguilar pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base,” a charge carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The plea marks the latest takedown in an ongoing crackdown on narcotics flooding into central West Virginia.

Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen confirmed the conviction, underscoring the federal government’s relentless push to dismantle drug networks operating in rural counties. “This case sends a clear message: we are watching, we are investigating, and we will prosecute to the fullest extent,” Jividen said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook handled the prosecution, building the case on evidence gathered by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force, funded through the federal HIDTA program, specializes in targeting high-impact drug traffickers and violent offenders.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the hearing and accepted Aguilar’s guilty plea. Sentencing will be determined under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, weighing the severity of the offense and Aguilar’s prior criminal history, if any.

Aguilar remains in federal custody pending his sentencing date, which has not yet been set. Federal authorities warn that even non-violent drug offenses carry steep penalties—and in cases like this, the cost is measured in years, not months.