Martinsburg man sentenced for role in cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operation

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Jones, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 months of incarceration for his role in a cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Jones, also known as “Moosa,” age 43, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility” in December 2019. Jones admitted to using a phone to arrange a heroin purchase in December 2018 in Berkeley County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy D. Helman, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department investigated. 

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy.  Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.