CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Parkersburg man pled guilty to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Michael Rhodes, 40, of Parkersburg, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Rhodes admitted that between February and October 2018, he received multiple pound quantities of methamphetamine at a time from various sources including his co-defendant, Terrance McGuirk. Rhodes further admitted to distributing the methamphetamine by the ounce and half-ounce to street level dealers in Parkersburg including his co-defendants, Nicholas Easton, Theodore “T.J." Gibson, Michael Holley, Marshall Polan and Amy Rake.
“The results of the Project Parkersburg takedown were both historical and remarkable," said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The long-term, collaborative investigation led to the seizure of an historical quantity of meth and was remarkably successful in shuttering a significant, multi-state drug trafficking organization."
Rhodes is being prosecuted as part of Project Parkersburg - a major takedown and dismantling of a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine and heroin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton Ohio Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force. The long-term, joint investigation resulted in at least 29 individuals being charged in federal and state court, the seizure of 121 pounds of ICE methamphetamine, six kilograms of cocaine, 217 grams of heroin, and 290 grams of fentanyl.
Trial for five other Project Parkersburg defendants, Aurelius Edmonds, Antoin Terry, Terrence McGuirk, Roderick Payne, and Amanda Atkinson is scheduled to begin on Feb. 24, 2020 before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Jeremy Wolfe are handling the prosecution.
Rhodes faces a mandatory ten years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 3, 2020.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
