Joshua Carney, a 32-year-old resident of Wheeling, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges involving heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. According to court documents, Carney conspired with others to distribute cocaine base, fentanyl, and heroin in Ohio County. He also admitted to distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Ritchie Elementary School in June 2024.
For the conspiracy charge, Carney faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 80 years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay is handling the prosecution for the government. The case was investigated by the Ohio Valley Task Force—a HIDTA-funded initiative—the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Wheeling Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided over the proceedings.
