FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oct. 3, 2012
GOODWIN ANNOUNCES TENTH CRIMINAL CONVICTION IN DRUG CRACKDOWN ON CHARLESTON’S WEST SIDE
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that a Charleston man was convicted todya by a federal jury for illegal crack cocaine distribution. Trial evidence revealed that Marvin Garrett, 32, knowingly distributed crack cocaine in January 2012. Garrett is the tenth defendant to be convicted as part of the Charleston area’s Drug Market Intervention (DMI) initiative, which was launched in February of this year.
Trial evidence further revealed that the defendant illegally distributed the crack cocaine near the corner of Central Avenue and Russell Street in Charleston.
Garrett faces up to 30 years in prison and a $2 million fine when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston. This is the defendant’s second federal felony conviction involving crack cocaine. Garrett will face an enhanced penalty at sentencing as a result of the conviction.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). Assistant United States Attorney William King and Joshua Hanks are in charge of the prosecution.
The DMI initiative was launched in February 2012 by Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster and U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin, in collaboration with Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Plants, other federal, state, local law enforcement agencies and leaders representing several West Side community development organizations. The DMI initiative was initiated in Charleston as a strategic problem-solving effort aimed at closing down open-air drug markets that breed crimes of violence and disorder.
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