Dealers Sentenced for Supplying Local Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Markets

ABINGDON, Va. – A major supplier of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia—and a pair of related dealers—were sentenced this week to lengthy federal prison terms, dealing a major blow to the drug market in Southwest Virginia.

Bradley Mitchell Chester, 39, of Pound, Va., was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison.  Chester previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Also on Thursday, two methamphetamine and fentanyl dealers, Matthew Addington, 41, and Michael Hicks, 36, of Pound, Va., were each sentenced. Addington was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and Hicks was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment.

According to court documents, Chester served as a major supplier of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Wise County, Virginia area from approximately March 2023 to March 2024.  Chester routinely made trips to North Carolina and Kentucky with co-conspirators to obtain up to several pounds of methamphetamine and a pound of fentanyl at a time from drug suppliers.  Chester also supplied Addington, Hicks, and other co-conspirators with fentanyl and methamphetamine, which they the redistributed locally.

Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Southwest Drug Task Force, Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.