William S. Thompson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia
Justin Saunders, a 27-year-old resident of Charleston, has entered a guilty plea to charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine. The plea was made in federal court today.
Court documents reveal that on February 3, 2024, Saunders sold around 896 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. Saunders confirmed the sale took place at his home on Quarrier Street in Charleston.
The following day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Saunders' residence. They seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, and metonitazene during the operation.
Saunders is set for sentencing on June 9, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and could receive up to 40 years in prison. Additionally, he may be subject to at least four years of supervised release and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson praised the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) for their investigative efforts. MDENT includes several local police departments and sheriff's offices from Charleston and surrounding areas.
The hearing was overseen by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is handling the prosecution.
Further details about this case can be accessed through PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-70 or via the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.
