Ronald Lavaughn Mason, a 46-year-old resident of Beckley, West Virginia, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison and will serve three years of supervised release for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization. Mason was implicated in the distribution of fentanyl and crack cocaine, admitting to his role in a network that facilitated the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack across the Southern District of West Virginia.
Court documents reveal Mason's participation in the trafficking ring during April and May of 2024, where he organized and executed various transactions for fentanyl and crack cocaine. Intercepted communications showed Mason working alongside 11 individuals to distribute these substances. He admitted to supplying and sometimes delivering drugs to individuals who would then redistribute them, occasionally receiving visitors at his residence for drug pickups.
In one instance on April 9, 2024, Mason sold controlled substances to Tilford Joe Bradley Jr. while under surveillance by law enforcement. Mason later acknowledged his awareness of Bradley's intent to further distribute these substances. Subsequently, a search warrant executed at Mason's home resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and cash, all of which he planned to distribute.
This case adds to Mason's criminal history, which includes two prior convictions for drug trafficking, all within the jurisdiction of the Southern District of West Virginia. Mason, Bradley, and ten other individuals were indicted for a conspiracy to distribute drugs from mid-2023 to mid-2024, with all defendants entering guilty pleas. Some defendants admitted guilt on separate charges rather than those in the indictment.
The announcement of Mason's sentencing was made by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, acknowledging the efforts of the FBI, ATF, and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, a collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies. The case was adjudicated by Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell.
The investigation was conducted under the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force initiative, which targets major drug and money laundering operations. The project's mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious organizations threatening public safety and national security.
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