Two pill dealers sentenced to Federal prison for drug crimes

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced today to federal prison for oxycodone crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Kenneth Edward Campbell, 48, of Charleston, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. In a separate drug prosecution, Jonathan Belcher, 37, of Logan, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for distributing oxycodone.

On August 23, 2013, the United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted a package containing oxycodone that had been sent from Detroit to Charleston. An undercover officer posing as a mail carrier delivered the package and confronted the man who accepted delivery. That man told police that Campbell had offered to give him oxycodone if he would allow the drug parcel to be delivered to his residence. Officers used the man to conduct a controlled delivery of the package to Campbell at his place of employment on the West Side of Charleston. Campbell was arrested upon taking possession of the package.

In a separate prosecution, Jonathan Belcher admitted that in August 2014, he sold oxycodone pills to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place at Belcher's residence.

The case against Campbell was investigated by the United Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is in charge of Campbell's prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed Campbell's sentence. 

The U.S. 119 Drug Task Force investigated the Belcher case. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail handled the prosecution of Belcher. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed Belcher's sentence.

These prosecutions are 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 illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of pills and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

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