Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Tracey Brown, 45, of Chelyan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about December 12, 2023, Brown obtained approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine in the Dayton, Ohio, area and transported the controlled substance to an Elkview, West Virginia, residence where he was living. Brown admitted that he distributed approximately 1 pound of the methamphetamine and intended to distribute the remaining methamphetamine with another person in the Southern District of West Virginia.

On December 13, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Elkview residence and seized the remaining methamphetamine.

Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to live in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

"This case is the result of determined investigative work by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force," said United States Attorney Will Thompson. "Their outstanding efforts prevented a staggering amount of methamphetamine from reaching our streets and poisoning our community."

The U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting 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. 2:24-cr-16.

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