MARTINSBURG, WV (LOOTPRESS) Seven people have been sentenced for their roles in a massive drug trafficking ring that transported fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Baltimore to West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
The case stems from a January 2024 indictment against Gary Brown, Jr. and 81 others, which accused them of distributing large amounts of illegal drugs in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
Of the 82 defendants, 80 have been convicted, and 44—including the seven sentenced this week—have received their sentences.
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.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane prosecuted the case, and U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over it.
Multiple federal, state, and local agencies conducted the investigation, 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 takes a multi-agency approach to addressing high-level criminal organizations.
