A Charleston heroin dealer will serve time behind bars after pleading guilty to a federal drug crime, the Grimy Times has learned.
Tara Shepherd, 26, entered her guilty plea to distribution of heroin in a Charleston courtroom, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Shepherd admitted to selling heroin to a confidential informant working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team on August 26, 2016, at her apartment on Washington Avenue in Charleston.
Shepherd faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on June 26, 2017, according to officials.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team conducted the investigation, which was led by Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin.
As part of the ongoing effort, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, 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.
Shepherd’s guilty plea is a significant blow to the illicit heroin trade in Charleston, and a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement to keep our communities safe.
The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for their actions and to protecting the citizens of the Southern District of West Virginia.
Related Federal Cases
- Tara Shepherd, Distribution of Heroin, West Virginia 2017 · Virginia
- Demetrice Johnson, Heroin Distribution, West Virginia 2014 · North Carolina
- Kennele Groom, Heroin Distribution, West Virginia 2014 · Washington
- Jewel D. Woods, Heroin Distribution, West Virginia 2016 · Washington
- Christopher E. Butts, Heroin Distribution, West Virginia 2016 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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