Seven individuals involved in a drug trafficking operation running from Baltimore to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia have been handed down sentences. The operation involved distributing significant quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine across Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
The case initially indicted Gary Brown, Jr. and 81 others in January 2024. To date, 80 of those defendants have been convicted, and 44 have been sentenced, including the seven sentenced this week. Notably among the sentenced are James Beau Baker of Charles Town, West Virginia, who received 97 months, and Aaron Joshua James of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, sentenced to 70 months. Kendall Axavier Baker and April Dawn Wentzell were both sentenced to time served. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Ashley Knight and Ryan Brennan received probation.
Currently, one accused individual, Charles Delroy Singletary of Baltimore, Maryland, is still at large.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh is presiding over the trials. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ATF, and many local law enforcement departments.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which seeks to dismantle major criminal organizations in a coordinated, multi-agency approach. Further details on the OCDETF program can be found on the Department of Justice website.