ELKINS, WV—A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Earl Ferguson, 46, of Inwood, West Virginia, with prescription painkiller trafficking, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Ferguson sold oxycodone in Berkeley County, West Virginia throughout 2015. He is charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone,” and three counts of “Distribution of Oxycodone.” He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 on each of the four counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, are leading the inquiry.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.