Kayla Nicole Dent, a 34-year-old resident of Mount Hope, has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Court documents reveal that on January 23, 2024, Dent sold about 1.5 grams of fentanyl for $140 to a confidential informant at her home. She acknowledged the transaction and arranging it with the informant beforehand.
Dent's sentencing is set for May 29, 2025. She could face up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson. He praised the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. This unit includes officers from several agencies: the West Virginia State Police, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn oversaw the hearing. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon.
Further details are available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia or through PACER by searching Case No. 5:24-cr-140.