Two individuals have been sentenced for fentanyl and methamphetamine offenses in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced on Apr. 14.
The sentencing addresses concerns about drug trafficking and public safety related to fentanyl, which has been designated as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality.
Courtney Stewart, 30, from Piedmont, West Virginia, received a sentence of 36 months in federal prison for working with Nelson Anthony Zambito to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Mineral County and other locations. Authorities searched Zambito’s home and seized nearly 29 grams of methamphetamine and almost one gram of fentanyl. Zambito pled guilty in October 2025 and is awaiting sentencing.
In a separate case, Crystal Lyn Lewis, 36, from Martinsburg, was sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl. Investigators reported that Lewis worked with Delano Butler and others to sell controlled substances throughout the region. The investigation resulted in the seizure of between 30,000 and 40,000 pressed fentanyl pills along with fourteen firearms and other illegal drugs. Butler pled guilty on April 10, 2026; his sentencing is pending.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher. Multiple agencies participated in the investigations including local police departments across West Virginia; task forces funded by High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiatives; field offices from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration divisions based out of Louisville and Chicago; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; several sheriff’s offices across multiple counties; state police from both West Virginia and Pennsylvania as well as agencies from Virginia and California.
Fentanyl’s classification as a weapon underscores ongoing efforts such as Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at eliminating cartels or transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
