Randolph County woman admits to drug distribution charge

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Melinda Sharon Higgins, of Elkins, West Virginia, has admitted to drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Higgins, age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Hydromorphone.” Higgins admitted to distributing hydromorphone in Randolph County in April 2018. 

Higgins 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 Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated. 

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.