Ohio Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Offense

 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Devante Terrell Hatch, 28, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

“This Akron drug dealer was caught with more than four pounds of meth in his vehicle,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “And now he’ll be spending the next five years in federal prison.”

On February 25, 2019, the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF) received a tip that a large load of drugs was being delivered to a specific apartment on Staunton Avenue between 9:00p.m. and 11:00p.m. and that it would be coming from Akron, Ohio in a vehicle with Ohio license plates. Uniformed Parkersburg Police Officers began surveilling the area. At 10:05 p.m., they observed a GMC Terrain with Ohio license plates pull into the alley behind Staunton Avenue and park directly behind the apartment. Officers approached Hatch, who was driving the vehicle. Hatch claimed to be there to visit his girlfriend, but he could not tell them where she lived. The officers smelled marijuana and asked Hatch whether he had any in the vehicle. Hatch admitted that he did, and officers searched the vehicle. The officers located and seized two backpacks containing marijuana and more than four pounds of methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Hatch admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine in Parkersburg. 

The Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00061.