Jose Alberto Camarena Rocha was sentenced on May 6 to 159 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
The sentencing of Rocha is significant because he served as a supplier for the operation and used connections with the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico. The organization transported large quantities of drugs across state lines and contributed to the spread of dangerous substances such as heroin and fentanyl into Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
Harvey said, “Rocha thought he could get away with bringing this poison from California to the Mountain State. He was wrong and will now spend more than 13 years in prison.” He added, “Make no mistake. We will eliminate these ruthless cartels and will not tolerate their presence in our home.”
The investigation found that Rocha was responsible for distributing one and a half kilograms of heroin as part of a conspiracy involving over one kilogram of heroin overall. The group’s leader was Juan Suarez-Lugo, with eighteen defendants charged; twelve have admitted guilt so far, including Rocha. Nine have been sentenced while four are scheduled for trial in June 2026; two remain at large.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force led the investigation with assistance from multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; various state police departments; sheriff’s offices across several states; Air National Guard units; regional task forces from Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Fentanyl has been classified by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its high lethality even in small amounts. This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations while addressing violent crime and illegal immigration concerns nationwide.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over Rocha’s sentencing.
