CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Fayette County man has pleaded guilty to federal drug distribution charges following an investigation that uncovered significant quantities of illegal drugs and a firearm.
William Joseph Kessler III, 44, of Beckwith, entered his guilty plea on Thursday, December 11, 2025, to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl and a second count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kessler sold a total of 18 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on June 25, 2024.
The sales occurred during two separate transactions, one in Raleigh County and the other at Kessler’s residence in Beckwith. The following day, June 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence.
During the search, officers seized approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine, about 300 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and ketamine, and a firearm.
Kessler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the guilty plea and praised the investigative efforts of the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the plea hearing.
