Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Burtchville, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Phillips admitted that he possessed approximately 19.8 grams of fentanyl on April 30, 2024, in Beckley that he intended to distribute. Phillips further admitted that he had been selling fentanyl in West Virginia while residing at a Mount Hope residence and used two individuals at the residence to sell fentanyl.
Phillips is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Phillips has also agreed to forfeit one firearm and abandon three other firearms that were seized on April 30, 2024.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon 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. 5:24-cr-142.
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