Mercer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. - Austin Pannell, 27, of Bluefield, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 18, 2022, Pannell sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant outside of a Princeton apartment. Pannell admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling additional quantities of fentanyl to a confidential informant on three other occasions in Princeton and Bluefield between July 12, 2022, and August 18, 2022.

On July 27, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Pannell at a residence in Bluefield. Officers executed a search warrant at that residence and found 568 grams of fentanyl, a Delton 5.56mm AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, and a Phoenix Arms .25-caliber handgun that were attributed to Pannell.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Princeton Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff's Department, the McDowell County Sheriff's Department, and the Wyoming County Sheriff's Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

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. 1:23-cr-109.

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