Kody D. Harless, a 27-year-old resident of Tomahawk, Kentucky, has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The plea was entered in federal court in Huntington, West Virginia.
Court documents state that on August 15, 2023, Harless received about 4.75 grams of fentanyl from another individual in Huntington. Law enforcement stopped the vehicle Harless was traveling in after the transaction and seized the fentanyl. During his plea hearing, Harless admitted he had arranged to purchase the drugs beforehand and intended to distribute some of them.
Harless also acknowledged participating in a broader conspiracy involving both fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution. He admitted that from at least July through November 2023, he regularly obtained these substances from contacts in Huntington and transported them to Kentucky for further distribution.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 2, 2026. Harless faces up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a possible fine of $1 million.
Harless is one of 27 people indicted for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization accused of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl around Huntington. According to prosecutors, Harless and another co-defendant pleaded guilty to separate charges rather than those listed in the main indictment; twenty-three others have also pleaded guilty under the main indictment while charges remain pending against other defendants. Authorities emphasized that indictments are allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea agreement and recognized several agencies for their investigative efforts: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), West Virginia State Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT includes multiple local law enforcement agencies such as Charleston Police Department and Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This investigation falls under the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. Established in 1982, OCDETF aims to identify and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations using combined resources from federal agencies alongside state and local law enforcement partners.
Additional information about this case can be found by searching Case No. 3:24-cr-7 on PACERLinks or visiting the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.
