Federal Jury Convicts Kanawha County Man of Drug Trafficking

 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal jury convicted a Kanawha County man on charges of distributing methamphetamine, distributing crack cocaine, and possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack cocaine.  United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Michael Andrew King, Jr., 35, of Charleston, distributed methamphetamine to an individual in Montgomery, West Virginia on January 4, 2019.  Three days later, King distributed crack cocaine to that same individual in Montgomery. On February 2, 2019, King was in Cleveland, Ohio and placed over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack cocaine in a female’s vehicle without her knowledge.  King arranged for the female to follow him back to Charleston that same day.  Law enforcement conducted surveillance of King as he followed the female’s vehicle, and after a traffic stop of both vehicles, seized King’s methamphetamine and crack cocaine that he had previously placed in the vehicle.  

“I want to thank the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), as well as the other law enforcement agencies who worked on this case to protect the public and continue our efforts to shut down the flow of illegal drugs into the Southern District of West Virginia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.

King faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on November 18, 2021.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Ryan Blackwell handled the prosecution. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Charleston Police Department, the South Charleston Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Parkersburg Police Department. 

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. 2:21-cr-00023.