Sheriff highlights federal task‑force results, long federal sentences in recent regional cases
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Summary
Hardy County Sheriff Steve Dawson described recent federal prosecutions connected to the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, listing multiple convictions and lengthy federal sentences for defendants tied to fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution.
Hardy County Sheriff Steve Dawson updated the commission on a federal press conference in Elkins on Aug. 27 that highlighted enforcement work by the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force and federal prosecutors.
Dawson said the task force and partnering federal agencies seized large quantities of drugs and secured multi‑year federal prison sentences in multiple cases. He cited convictions and sentences for defendants from Baltimore, Grant County, Petersburg and Moorefield involving fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Dawson said one defendant, Wesley Neal Carter of Moorefield, received a 240‑month federal sentence for conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine; others cited included defendants who received sentences ranging from more than 10 years to as much as 150 months for fentanyl‑related offenses. He said the task force has worked with the FBI, ATF, US Marshals Service, US Attorney’s Office and several state and local agencies.
Dawson told commissioners the task force has produced about 250 felony cases since Hardy County joined the regional effort and that federal sentences collectively in recent cases exceeded a century of imprisonment. He acknowledged the public may not be aware of long investigations and asked citizens to continue reporting suspicious activity to build investigations.
Ending: Dawson thanked the commission for its financial and operational support for the task force and said he will press to maintain local participation in the multi‑agency effort.