MARTINSBURG, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Seven individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking ring that moved fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Baltimore into West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
The case stems from a January 2024 indictment against Gary Brown, Jr., and 81 others, accusing them of distributing substantial quantities of illegal drugs in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
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Of the 82 defendants, 80 have been convicted, and 44—including the seven sentenced this week—have received their punishments.
The sentences handed down this week include:
- James Beau Baker, 29, of Charles Town, WV – 97 months in prison
- Amanda Nicole Albert, 32, of Knoxville, MD – 46 months in prison
- Kendall Axavier Baker, 32, of Winchester, VA – time served
- Kaitlyn Ashley Knight, 32, of Falling Waters, WV – three years’ probation
- Ryan Brennan, 33, of Strasburg, VA – five years’ probation
- April Dawn Wentzell, 37, of Ranson, WV – time served
- Aaron Joshua James, 31, of Harpers Ferry, WV – 70 months in prison
One defendant, Charles Delroy Singletary, 44, of Baltimore, remains a fugitive.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane and presided over by U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh.
The investigation was led by multiple federal, state, and local agencies, including the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, U.S. Marshals, and several West Virginia and Virginia law enforcement departments.
This effort was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which targets high-level criminal organizations through a multi-agency approach.
