A Martinsburg, West Virginia resident has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for drug and firearms offenses, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Antoine Terrell Cotton, also known as “Tony,” age 44, received a 60-month sentence after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. During the investigation, law enforcement searched Cotton’s residence and found several hundred grams of cocaine along with a firearm. Authorities noted that Cotton has previous convictions related to drugs.
Following his prison term, Cotton will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case for the government. The investigation was led by the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force—a HIDTA-funded group—and the FBI.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which is a national initiative using Department of Justice resources to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations, address violent crime, and combat illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the case.
