A Randolph County man has pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge after authorities recovered a significant amount of methamphetamine and a firearm linked to a single-vehicle crash in Valley Head. The defendant admitted to intending to distribute the drugs, which totaled nearly ten times the minimum threshold for enhanced federal penalties.
Gary Duane Cool, 41, of Monterville, West Virginia, entered his guilty plea in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The case stems from a car crash in Valley Head during which Cool fled on foot. A witness later reported seeing him discard items in a nearby yard, leading law enforcement to a backpack containing approximately 500 grams of meth and a firearm.
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Cool now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the possibility of life. The final sentence will be determined by a federal judge, based on established sentencing guidelines and relevant legal considerations. No sentencing date has yet been announced.
The investigation was carried out by the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a program funded by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is handling the prosecution, and the plea was accepted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi.
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The case marks another significant methamphetamine seizure in northern West Virginia, a region that continues to see high levels of meth trafficking activity. Authorities have linked rural transport routes to increased drug movement, prompting ongoing federal and regional cooperation.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia
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