Two men have been sentenced for their involvement in a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Dorian Scott Burks, 29, from Jeannette, Pennsylvania, received a 262-month federal prison sentence. John William Malcolm, 57, from Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 300 months.
Court documents reveal that Burks and Malcolm collaborated with others to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base across Berkeley, Morgan, and Hampshire Counties. Burks traveled between Pittsburgh and various locations in West Virginia to supply large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine to conspirators like Malcolm for resale. A traffic stop led officers to discover 333 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Malcolm's vehicle.
U.S. District Court Judge Gina M. Groh described Burks as "a dealer’s dealer" due to the significant amounts of high-purity crystal methamphetamine involved. Evidence showed that Burks provided over 32 pounds of crystal methamphetamine from January through July 2023.
Burks possessed firearms and maintained a property for drug distribution purposes—factors considered during sentencing. Malcolm's criminal history includes grand larceny, assault, drug trafficking, and firearms violations.
Both men will serve five years of supervised release following their prison terms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force conducted the investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States.
Further details about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.