Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Ellis Gates, 37, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 12, 2022, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gates on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. Gates admitted to possessing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine found during the officer’s search of the vehicle.

Gates is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and J.C. MacCallum are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-146. 

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