Jonathan Kennedy, a 45-year-old resident of St. Albans, has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The plea was entered in Charleston federal court.
Court records and statements reveal that between May and August 2025, Kennedy was involved in a network distributing methamphetamine in St. Albans and other areas. He admitted that an associate in California sent several pounds of methamphetamine to locations in Kanawha County during this period. After arranging for another person to pick up the shipments at designated locations, Kennedy took possession of the drugs and redistributed them.
Kennedy also acknowledged providing half-pound quantities of methamphetamine on two occasions—May 30 and June 24, 2025—to another co-conspirator after being contacted for drugs intended for further distribution. On June 25, he distributed about 690 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in St. Albans.
On August 22, law enforcement intercepted a package destined for Dunbar containing roughly 38 pounds of methamphetamine. Officers substituted most of the contents with a non-narcotic substance before delivering it as planned. Kennedy arranged for someone else to collect the package and bring it to a St. Albans address where he later took possession; he was arrested shortly afterward.
At the time these offenses occurred, Kennedy was on supervised release following his October 4, 2022 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2026. Kennedy faces at least ten years and up to life imprisonment, at least five years and potentially lifetime supervised release, and fines up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea and recognized the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). MDENT includes personnel from local police departments such as Charleston, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Nitro Police Department, St. Albans Police Department, and South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling prosecution.
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