William S. Thompson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia
Kayla Nicole Dent, a 34-year-old resident of Mount Hope, West Virginia, has entered a guilty plea for distributing fentanyl. The plea was made in Beckley and relates to an incident on January 23, 2024, where Dent sold approximately 1.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $140 at her home. She acknowledged both the sale and the prior arrangement with the informant.
Dent's sentencing is set for May 29, 2025. She could face up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $1 million.
The announcement came from United States Attorney Will Thompson, who praised the investigative efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. This unit includes officers from several local law enforcement agencies: the West Virginia State Police, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn oversaw the court proceedings. The prosecution team comprises Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon.
Further details about this case can be accessed through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia's website or by searching Case No. 5:24-cr-140 on PACER.
