CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Belpre, Ohio man who organized a large-scale drug trafficking ring in and around Washington County, Ohio and Wood County, West Virginia was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced. Brent Jason Sidwell, 33, of Belpre, Ohio previously pleaded guilty in April of 2015 to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
In the fall of 2013 members of the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force and the Washington County (Ohio) Major Crimes Task Force began working with an informant to purchase marijuana and cocaine from Sidwell and his associates in Belpre and Parkersburg. Many of the transactions occurred at the former 5th Street Pub in Parkersburg. The pub was owned by Sidwell and operated by him and several associates. Investigators eventually obtained a wiretap of Sidwell’s phone. In April 2014, task force personnel executed search warrants at numerous locations including Sidwell’s residence, several “stash houses" used by the organization, and an apartment and rented storage unit in Mineral Wells, West Virginia where they seized drugs, scales, cash, and other evidence.
Sidwell admitted to obtaining and distributing up to 3,000 kg of marijuana over the course of the conspiracy from the fall of 2010 until April 2014. The marijuana was obtained on consignment from out-of-state sources. After selling the drugs to local dealers, Sidwell and other members of the organization made payment in the form of bulk cash deliveries, wire transfers, preloaded debit cards, and by depositing money in the local branch of a large bank where it would be immediately withdrawn at another branch. Sidwell’s organization primarily supplied dealers in marijuana and cocaine. In turn, the dealers distributed the drugs in and around Washington County, Ohio and Wood County, West Virginia.
Numerous other individuals were prosecuted as part of this investigation. Timothy Fields, 38, of Vienna previously pleaded guilty to distribution of marijuana and cocaine. He was sentenced in January 2015 to six years in federal prison. Dustin Jarvis, 34, of Mineral Wells, West Virginia pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. He was sentenced in August 2015 to 8 years in federal prison. Christopher Paul Johnson, 43, of Parkersburg, West Virginia pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison in May 2015. Joshua Neal McVey, 32, of Parkersburg, West Virginia pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2015 to possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2016. David Aaron Naylor, 29, of Vienna, West Virginia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine. He will be sentenced on Oct. 21, 2015. Other individuals have been prosecuted by state authorities in Washington County, Ohio and Wood County, West Virginia.
This case represents the ongoing cooperation between the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force, the Washington County Major Crimes Task Force, the Wood County, West Virginia Prosecuting Attorney, the Washington County, Ohio, Prosecuting Attorney, the Ohio Organized Crime Commission and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Hanks is in charge of the federal prosecution.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
