Shawn Owen Gillespie II, Heroin Possession, West Virginia 2014

Heroin Trafficking Lands Shady Spring Man Behind Bars

Bluefield, W.Va. - In a move to combat the growing heroin epidemic, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that Shawn Owen Gillespie II, 25, of Shady Spring, West Virginia, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Gillespie pleaded guilty on December 3, 2014, admitting to possessing over 400 pouches of heroin, which he intended to sell. The heroin was found in Princeton, West Virginia, on May 12, 2014.

This case was part of the ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case, which was led by Assistant United States Attorney John File.

Gillespie's sentence is a result of his guilty plea, which admitted to the possession of over 400 pouches of heroin. The U.S. Attorney's Office is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open-air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.

As part of the Bluefield Pill Initiative, the U.S. Attorney's Office, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, is working to combat the growing heroin epidemic in the area. Gillespie's sentence is a step in the right direction, and it serves as a reminder that those involved in heroin trafficking will face serious consequences.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Gillespie's sentence is a result of his guilty plea, which admitted to the possession of over 400 pouches of heroin. The heroin was found in Princeton, West Virginia, on May 12, 2014. Gillespie will serve his 18-month sentence in a federal prison.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is committed to keeping the community informed about the efforts to combat heroin trafficking. For more information, contact the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/drug-dealers-face-charges-federal-court-bluefield