MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - Melanie Lyn Outen, Ted Alexander Voss, and Michael Dean Smith, all of Petersburg, West Virginia, have admitted to their roles in a fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Outen, age 47, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl." Outen admitted to distributing more than 64 grams of fentanyl and more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from January to June 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Voss, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl." Voss, age 29, admitted to distributing more than 64 grams of fentanyl and more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from January to June 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Smith, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine." Smith admitted to distributing more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in May 2019 in Berkeley County.
Outen and Voss each face at least five years and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Smith faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot" areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, West Virginia State Police, and the Charles Town Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
