Antonio Shelby Jr., a 33-year-old resident of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on February 5, 2026, to 12 years in federal prison for drug and firearm offenses. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Shelby was convicted by a federal jury on August 19, 2025, after a two-day trial. The evidence presented showed that on January 10, 2024, he was stopped by law enforcement in the Institute area of Kanawha County. Officers detected the smell of marijuana coming from his vehicle and informed him that they would conduct a search. Shelby then fled in his vehicle at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour along West Virginia Route 25 and Interstate 64.
The pursuit concluded when Shelby crashed while attempting to exit I-64 at South Charleston. Officers detained him as he exited the vehicle. A loaded Keltec model P3 AT .380-caliber pistol with a round in the chamber was found underneath him. Authorities also recovered over 60 grams of methamphetamine packaged in multiple baggies, more than 100 grams of fentanyl, marijuana, digital scales, and $2,495 from inside the vehicle.
Shelby’s criminal record includes previous felony convictions for fleeing from police and reckless driving resulting in serious bodily injury.
United States Attorney Moore Capito stated: “This defendant possessed and transported distribution-level quantities of lethal drugs into our community while armed. He doubled down on his disregard for our people and their safety by fleeing from law enforcement, creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to the public and responding officers. We are unrelenting in our commitment to attacking the drug crisis with the utmost toughness.”
Capito acknowledged the efforts of several agencies involved in Shelby’s apprehension and prosecution: Nitro Police Department, Dunbar Police Department, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger. Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Jeremy B. Wolfe handled the prosecution.
Further information about this case can be found through PACER by searching Case No. 2:24-cr-197.
