Charleston Man With More Than $20,000 Cash, Half-kilo Of Cocaine Sentenced To Nearly 4 Years In Federal Prison

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A thirty-five-year-old man who possessed a total of more than $20,000 in cash and nearly a half-kilogram of cocaine inside of his Charleston residence was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin.  Jason McGhee, 35, previously pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  On April 24, 2013, a confidential informant working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) arranged to purchase cocaine from McGhee. The police informant later arrived at McGhee’s residence and gave the defendant $2400 in pre-recorded buy money to fulfill a previous drug debt.  A short time later, McGhee handed the informant five ounces of suspected cocaine.  The informant later turned the suspected cocaine over to law enforcement agents.  The suspected cocaine was tested by police and proved to be 146 grams of cocaine. 
Following the controlled drug transaction between McGhee and the informant, police executed a search warrant on the defendant’s residence.  During the search of the residence, police found $2400 in pre-recorded currency that was used as part of a previous controlled drug transaction, an additional $17,800 in cash, two sets of digital scales and approximately 499 grams of cocaine. 

In total, McGhee is responsible for distributing a total of at least two kilograms but less than 3.5 kilograms of cocaine in and around Charleston. 

The investigation was conducted by MDENT and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution.  The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston in Charleston.