Terry Dwayne Jones, Fentanyl Possession, West Virginia 2023

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A disturbing trend on West Virginia’s roads has led to the arrest and guilty plea of a Michigan man. Terry Dwayne Jones, 33, of Macomb, Michigan, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 15, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Jones on Interstate 77 near Ripley. Officers searched the vehicle and found one bottle of pills in the glove compartment and a second bottle of pills in the trunk. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed that the 984 blue pills found inside the two bottles contained a total of approximately 106 grams of fentanyl.

Jones admitted that he possessed the pills, knew they contained a controlled substance, and planned to distribute them. The sheer quantity of fentanyl seized in this case is alarming. 106 grams is a staggering amount, and it’s clear that Jones was involved in a large-scale operation.

The charges against Jones are serious. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 10, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.

This case highlights the ongoing struggle to combat fentanyl trafficking in West Virginia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department deserve credit for their investigative work in bringing Jones to justice.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing, while Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-137.

Related Federal Cases