Martinsburg man admits to drug charge

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eric W. Hathcock, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing fentanyl and heroin, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Hathcock, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Fentanyl and Heroin.” Hathcock admitted to selling heroin and fentanyl in June 2019 in Berkeley County.

Hathcock faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep.  This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally. 

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