Jaron Andrew O’Neal, a 39-year-old resident of Charleston, West Virginia, has been sentenced to six months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court documents and statements indicate that law enforcement obtained a search warrant for a package addressed to Barboursville after a K9 unit alerted them. Upon inspection, investigators found the package contained about one kilogram of fentanyl. Authorities replaced the fentanyl with a sham substance and carried out a controlled delivery to the intended address. On January 24, 2023, O’Neal collected the package and left in his vehicle. Investigators stopped his vehicle and recovered the package. O’Neal admitted he believed the package contained controlled substances.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the sentence and praised the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its investigative efforts.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers issued the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
The prosecution was part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), which targets reducing synthetic opioid supply in areas heavily affected by these drugs.
Further information about this case can be found on PACER by searching Case No. 3:24-cr-85 through external links provided on government websites.
