Three men faced federal court this week due to their roles in a drug trafficking operation in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. James Kidder, also known as "Jamey," 47, from Martins Ferry, Ohio, received a sentence of 36 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. His criminal history includes domestic violence, assault, theft, drug trafficking, and burglary.
James Galloway, 28, from Bellaire, Ohio, admitted guilt to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base. Matthew Clemont, 32, from Wheeling, West Virginia, also pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court documents indicate that the three men were part of a larger drug trafficking network extending from Las Vegas, Nevada, to the Ohio Valley.
Following his prison term, Kidder will undergo three years of supervised release. Galloway and Clemont each face potential sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will decide their sentences after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force; Marshall County Drug Task Force; Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force—all HIDTA-funded initiatives—alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; West Virginia State Police; Wheeling Police Department; Ohio County Sheriff’s Office; and Belmont County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided over the proceedings.
Further details can be found in the press release: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/federal-grand-jury-indicts-twenty-six-drug-trafficking