Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin/Fentanyl Mix

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman who was caught selling heroin and fentanyl in 2016 pled guilty today in federal court in Huntington, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Ashley Dawn Russell, 26, entered a guilty plea to distribution of heroin and fentanyl before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.  Stuart commended the investigative work done by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“Drug dealers are mixing fentanyl with everything from heroin to meth and marijuana,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Fentanyl is deadly.  As part of Project Huntington and the newly announced Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge initiative, we are prosecuting dealers of synthetic opioids to the fullest extent of the law regardless of quantity.  We will clean up these streets no matter how many dealers we have to prosecute.” 

Russell admitted that on August 3, 2016, she assisted Traemone Miller in conducting a drug transaction at 904 Marcum Terrace in Huntington.  On that date, a confidential informant met with Miller and gave him $700 which was the purchase price for heroin.  Miller left the apartment and provided Russell with heroin which she then distributed to the informant.  A chemist with the West Virginia State Police laboratory confirmed after forensic analysis that the heroin was in fact approximately 5 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture. 

Russell faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on November 13, 2018.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. 

The drug prosecution is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart 

 
###