Hagerstown Maryland Man Pleads Guilty in Major Drug Trafficking Case Tied to West Virginia Panhandle

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A Hagerstown man has pleaded guilty to leading a multi-state drug trafficking ring distributing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in West Virginia.

A Maryland man has pleaded guilty to leading a multi-state drug trafficking operation that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine throughout West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Authorities say the drugs were funneled through a business in Hagerstown, Maryland, which served as a central hub for illegal distribution across the region.

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Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, 52, of Hagerstown, also known as “Papi,” admitted in court to his role as a leader in the conspiracy. Prosecutors detailed that Luna Mota coordinated with others to move significant quantities of narcotics into Berkeley County. His operation extended through a network that relied on various transportation and distribution methods based out of his Maryland-based business.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and involved an extensive investigation led by multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Agencies included the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and local police departments from both West Virginia and Maryland, among others.

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The investigation was part of a broader initiative under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF initiative brings together agencies across jurisdictions to dismantle major criminal enterprises through coordinated, intelligence-driven strategies. The case was overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi in the Northern District of West Virginia.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia

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