Kirt Ray King and Anthony Michael Mowery have entered guilty pleas in a case involving methamphetamine distribution in Charleston, West Virginia. King, aged 48 from Charleston, admitted to conspiracy charges related to distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Mowery, also 48 but from Parkersburg, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for distributing 50 grams or more.
The court documents indicate that between January and May 2024, both individuals conspired with others as part of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) operating in the Southern District of West Virginia. Their sentencing is set for April 21, 2025. King faces a minimum sentence of ten years up to life imprisonment and substantial fines. Mowery's potential sentence ranges from five to forty years.
This case involves four defendants overall. Michael Dale Cain and John Wayne Harkless previously pleaded guilty in November 2024 to similar charges and are awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their work on this case. The hearings were overseen by United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin with Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe handling prosecution duties.
The investigation falls under the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which targets major drug trafficking organizations threatening U.S. safety and security since its inception in 1982.
For further details, refer to the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia or search PACER using Case No. 2:24-cr-95.