William S. Thompson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia
Tres Avery Davis, a 36-year-old resident of Charleston, West Virginia, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization. Following his prison term, Davis will serve four years of supervised release. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl.
Court documents reveal that on March 7, 2023, Davis delivered approximately 2,000 fentanyl-laced pills to a residence on Kemp Avenue in Charleston. These pills were seized by law enforcement two days later. Davis confessed to planning the distribution of some of these pills.
Davis is one of 31 individuals convicted through Operation Smoke and Mirrors, an extensive investigation into drug trafficking that led to the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia's history. Authorities confiscated over 400 pounds of methamphetamine along with other illegal substances and firearms.
As part of his activities within the drug trafficking organization (DTO), Davis acquired fentanyl pills from suppliers and recruited a co-conspirator to transport these from Columbus, Ohio, to Charleston. He also engaged in distributing methamphetamine and was responsible for handling significant quantities during various transactions.
Davis's criminal record includes numerous prior convictions for offenses such as firearm possession by a prohibited person and distribution of controlled substances.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston praised the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies involved in this case. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston, while Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation formed part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling major drug trafficking organizations threatening public safety and national security.
