BECKLEY, WV – Sean Hafesh, 34, of Daniels, Raleigh County, is headed to federal prison for more than twelve years after admitting to a significant fentanyl operation that flooded the streets of southern West Virginia. U.S. District Judge Frank W. Volk handed down the 12-year, seven-month sentence today, followed by three years of supervised release, bringing an end – at least temporarily – to Hafesh’s criminal enterprise.
The case began to unravel in October 2021, when Hafesh sold approximately 3.7 grams of what he believed to be heroin to a confidential informant. That initial deal quickly expanded into a pattern of sales, with Hafesh admitting to supplying additional quantities of the drug on two separate occasions that same month. But the buys were just the tip of the iceberg. A subsequent search of Hafesh’s Daniels residence on October 13th revealed a veritable drug stash: 355 grams of suspected heroin, 24.5 grams of methamphetamine, a revolver, and a bolt-action rifle. Lab results later confirmed the “heroin” was laced with the deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl.
Law enforcement wasn’t finished. Less than a week later, on October 21st, officers pulled over a vehicle driven by Hafesh. A search of the vehicle and Hafesh himself turned up 36 grams of heroin and a cool $1,460 in cash. Hafesh readily admitted to possessing the drugs. But the biggest haul was yet to come. On April 7, 2022, a second search warrant, this time at a Beaver, Raleigh County residence, yielded 56 grams of suspected heroin (again, confirmed as fentanyl), 33 grams of methamphetamine, 62 grams of crack cocaine, more firearms, and another $1,042 in cash. Hafesh, cornered, confessed to pushing “a significant amount” of heroin for months.
“This wasn’t just a few grams for personal use,” said a source close to the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Hafesh was a full-scale distributor, bringing poison into our communities. The amount of fentanyl he was dealing with could have killed dozens, if not hundreds.” The bust represents a significant victory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and the West Virginia State Police, who collaborated on the lengthy investigation.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson, announcing the sentence, praised the coordinated effort of the agencies involved. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Alex Hamner successfully prosecuted the case. Court documents related to Case No. 5:22-cr-68 are available on the PACER system. While twelve years will remove Hafesh from the streets, the damage he inflicted on Raleigh County will likely linger for years to come.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing opioid crisis gripping West Virginia. Anyone with information regarding drug trafficking activity is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or the ATF.
Related Federal Cases
- Robert Meade, Heroin Distribution, Beckley WV, 2014 · Virginia
- Robert Alan Durkee, Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution, VA 2024 · Virginia
- Larry Malloy, Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution, PA 2016 · Virginia
- Sean Michael Moser, Methamphetamine Distribution, West Virginia 2023 · Virginia
- Robert J. Johnson, Fentanyl Distribution, Ohio 2015 · Ohio
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