Two Huntington men were sentenced on May 4 for their involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address drug-related crime and its impact on local communities. Federal law enforcement agencies continue to target organizations responsible for distributing illegal substances and firearms.
Earl Michael Myers, also known as “Mike,” age 46, received a sentence of 10 years and 11 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Maurice Kelly Johnson, also known as “Reese,” age 58, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison with three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Myers sold crack cocaine and two firearms to a confidential informant at his residence after arranging the transaction days earlier. The Drug Enforcement Administration Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed that the controlled substance included crack cocaine. Johnson admitted providing one of the firearms used in these transactions despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing weapons due to prior felony convictions.
Both Myers and Johnson pleaded guilty as part of an indictment involving four defendants accused of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine between March and August 2025. Three other individuals pleaded guilty after separate indictments resulting from the same investigation.
United States Attorney Moore Capito said: "I commend the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force." United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed both sentences while Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecutes federal offenses—including cases like this—and represents federal interests across civil matters within its jurisdiction covering 23 counties; it employs 37 attorneys along with other personnel according to the official website.
