MARTINSBURG, WV—Melissa Dawn Portrey, 47, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was convicted of heroin trafficking in federal court, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Portrey was involved in an extensive drug trafficking operation in which heroin was transported across state lines from Baltimore, Maryland into West Virginia. The operation was disrupted in June 2015 by a 163-count federal indictment encompassing 41 defendants.

Portrey pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Interstate Travel in aid of Racketeering.” She faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. 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. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Paul Camilletti prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the inquiry.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.