U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson | U.S. Department of Justice
Joe Dante Townsend, a 32-year-old resident of Detroit, Michigan, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The plea was entered in Huntington, West Virginia.
Court documents and statements reveal that on June 11, 2024, Townsend was traveling as a backseat passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement on the 1600 block of Ninth Avenue in Huntington. During the traffic stop, officers discovered approximately 499 grams of cocaine inside a backpack located in the backseat. Townsend confessed ownership of the backpack and admitted to transporting the cocaine from Detroit to Huntington by bus with plans to sell it.
Townsend's sentencing is set for March 10, 2025. He faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $1 million.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the plea and praised the efforts of both the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force for their investigative work.
The hearing was overseen by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is handling the prosecution.
Further details regarding this case can be accessed through PACER using Case No. 3:24-cr-115 or via the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
