Joe Dante Townsend, a 32-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, followed by three years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that on June 11, 2024, Townsend was a backseat passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement on the 1600 block of 9th Avenue in Huntington. Upon searching the vehicle, officers discovered a backpack in the backseat containing approximately 499 grams of cocaine. Townsend admitted ownership of the backpack and confessed that he had transported the cocaine from Detroit to Huntington via bus with the intent to sell it for money.
The case announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, who praised the efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force for their investigative work.
The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney.
Further details and related court documents can be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia's website or by searching Case No. 3:24-cr-115 on PACER.