A Clarksburg, West Virginia man admitted on Mar. 18 to working with others to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing firearms in connection with his drug crimes, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Matthew Ryan Lester, 33, pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm charges. Court records show that Lester admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams of fentanyl, as well as possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Investigators recovered 900 grams of methamphetamine, 240 grams of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and over $8,000 in cash during searches of his home and vehicle.
Lester faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug charge, along with at least five years for the firearms charge. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case for the government. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force—a HIDTA-funded initiative—and the Philippi Police Department. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the proceedings.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality even in small amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators, and addressing illegal immigration.
