Samuel Rose, 53, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 190 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a cocaine distribution charge, according to an April 30 announcement by U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Rose was one of the leaders in a larger drug trafficking operation based in the Eastern Panhandle and was among 35 defendants charged following an investigation that spanned multiple states.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat organized drug trafficking and related crimes across northern West Virginia and beyond. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil litigation on behalf of the United States according to the official website.
Rose distributed large quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl sourced from an appliance store called “Top 3 Sources” in Hagerstown. Drugs were concealed within appliances for transport. Authorities seized nearly 19 pounds of cocaine, over two pounds of heroin, and almost one pound of crack cocaine during their investigation—a street value estimated at $471,000. At the time these crimes occurred, Rose was on supervised release from a prior conviction in the same district.
Rose became a fugitive after his indictment in 2021 and appeared on “America’s Most Wanted” before being apprehended in 2024; he also faces pending drug charges in Pennsylvania. Lenin Luna Mota—the leader—was previously sentenced to 280 months' imprisonment; so far, sentences have been handed down for most defendants involved.
The case involved cooperation between numerous agencies including the FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; state police departments from West Virginia and other states; as well as local law enforcement task forces supported by HIDTA funding initiatives.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District operates staffed offices throughout Wheeling, Clarksburg, Elkins, and Martinsburg according to its official website. The office serves thirty-two counties through outreach programs focused on community safety as reported by its official site.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations—and comes amid increased concern about fentanyl's lethality after it was designated a weapon of mass destruction during President Donald Trump’s administration.
The U.S. Attorney's Office partners with federal, state, and local law enforcement through programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods according to its official website. It remains committed to prosecuting such cases across its jurisdiction covering northern West Virginia as stated by its official site.
