WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA — A 37-year-old Wheeling man is facing federal charges after being indicted on two counts tied to cocaine distribution and the operation of a drug house in Ohio County. Michael E. Stradwick was named in a federal indictment unsealed this week, accused of dealing crack cocaine and using his residence as a hub for drug activity in January 2017.
Stradwick has been charged with one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base” and one count of “Maintaining Drug-involved Premises,” according to Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen. The charges stem from an investigation led by the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded agency, alongside the West Virginia State Police.
If convicted on the first count, Stradwick faces up to twenty years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The second charge carries a maximum penalty of twenty years behind bars and a fine of up to $500,000. Federal prosecutors emphasized that the actual sentence, if any, will depend on the severity of the offenses and Stradwick’s criminal history under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The indictment alleges that Stradwick used his Wheeling home as a persistent location for distributing crack cocaine — a charge that elevates the crime under federal law. Operating a drug-involved premises is often pursued when law enforcement can prove repeated drug transactions occurred at a specific site, effectively branding it a narcotics hub.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Anthony Martin is leading the prosecution. The case is part of a broader push by federal and state authorities to target mid-level distributors in West Virginia, a state ravaged by the opioid and stimulant crisis. Crack cocaine distribution remains a persistent threat in urban pockets like Wheeling, where addiction and trafficking often feed a cycle of violence and poverty.
An indictment is merely an accusation. Michael E. Stradwick is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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