A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for drug-related offenses in West Virginia. Jo-El Torres, aged 40 and from Pittsburgh, was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The charges arose after a traffic stop in Clarksburg, West Virginia. During the stop, a K9 officer detected drugs in Torres's vehicle. Upon being asked to exit the vehicle, Torres attempted to swallow a bag containing drugs but was subdued by officers who retrieved it. Lab tests confirmed the presence of fentanyl among other substances. This conviction marks his third federal drug offense.
Following his imprisonment, Torres will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar led the prosecution for this case. The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force—a HIDTA-funded initiative—the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarksburg Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police.
The sentencing was overseen by U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh.