Tyler Estep, Drug Distribution, West Virginia 2019

West Virginia Man Sentenced for Role in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Ring

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - In a major blow to the illicit drug trade, 32-year-old Tyler Estep of Galloway, Ohio, has been sentenced to three years probation for his involvement in a large-scale drug distribution ring.

Estep, who pleaded guilty to one count of ‘Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances’ in February 2019, admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base in Wetzel County, West Virginia, as well as Ohio and Georgia from July 2015 to April 2018.

The investigation, which was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF), involved a collaborative effort between multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The sentencing, which took place on an unspecified date, was presided over by U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey.

According to court documents, Estep's involvement in the conspiracy resulted in the distribution of significant amounts of illicit substances across multiple states. His sentence of three years probation serves as a reminder of the severe consequences for those involved in large-scale drug trafficking.

The case highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in combating the illicit drug trade. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program, which supplied critical federal funding and coordination for the investigation, has been instrumental in identifying and prosecuting major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations.

Estep's guilty plea and subsequent sentencing are a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies in West Virginia and beyond to dismantle and disrupt drug trafficking operations.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/ohio-man-sentenced-drug-distribution-0