Project Parkersburg Update: Wood County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

 CHARLESTON, W.Va. –   Aurelius Edmonds, 37, of Vienna was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, Edmonds admitted that he and co-defendants Terrence McGuirk and Antoine Terry together agreed to purchase methamphetamine and cocaine from a source of supply in Phoenix, Arizona in August 2018.  Edmonds traveled to Phoenix to purchase the drugs and make arrangements with Todd Land and Troy Pastorino to ship them to Dayton, Ohio where he, Terry and McGuirk would take possession of the shipment. Police learned of the deal and intercepted the shipment in a traffic stop of Troy Pastorino in Dayton, Ohio on September 19, 2018.  Edmonds, Terry and Land were arrested at a night club where they were awaiting word from Pastorino that the shipment was ready for pickup.  McGuirk was arrested in his nearby hotel room.  The shipment contained 121 pounds of ICE methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine.  Edmonds admitted his intent to distribute the cocaine in Ohio and return to Parkersburg with the proceeds.  For their roles in the drug conspiracy, Terry and McGuirk received sentences of 10 years and 25 years in prison, respectively. 

Of the other defendants charged in federal court, Todd Land, Jeffrey Hoyler, Nicholas Easton, T.J. Gibson, Edward Marks, Amy Rake, Marshall Polan, Troy Pastorino, Michael Holley, Colleen Moyle, Amanda Atkinson, and Michael Rhodes have been sentenced.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton (Ohio) Police Department and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Jeremy Wolfe are handling 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. 2:18-cr-00225.