Tracey Brown, Methamphetamine Distribution, West Virginia 2024

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man has been brought to justice for his role in a large-scale methamphetamine distribution operation. Tracey Brown, 45, of Chelyan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about December 12, 2023, Brown obtained approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine in the Dayton, Ohio, area and transported the controlled substance to an Elkview, West Virginia, residence where he was living. Brown admitted that he distributed approximately 1 pound of the methamphetamine and intended to distribute the remaining methamphetamine with another person in the Southern District of West Virginia.

On December 13, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Elkview residence and seized the remaining methamphetamine. This seizure prevented a significant amount of the deadly substance from reaching the streets of West Virginia.

Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to live in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. This sentence is a stark reminder of the severity of the penalties for those involved in large-scale drug trafficking operations.

The U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police, played a crucial role in the investigation and seizure of the methamphetamine.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing, and Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case.

Brown’s guilty plea brings an end to a lengthy investigation and serves as a warning to those involved in similar operations that they will be held accountable for their actions.