Joe Dante Townsend, a 32-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison, with an additional three years of supervised release following his prison term. Townsend was convicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Court documents and statements reveal that Townsend was a backseat passenger in a vehicle stopped by police on June 11, 2024, in Huntington, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, officers discovered a backpack in the backseat containing approximately 499 grams of cocaine. Townsend acknowledged ownership of the backpack and confessed to transporting the cocaine from Detroit to Huntington via bus, with plans to distribute it in exchange for money.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. She commended the efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force in the investigation leading to Townsend's conviction.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers delivered the sentence, and Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney led the prosecution.
Further information, including related court documents, can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia or by searching PACER for Case No. 3:24-cr-115.
