Harrison County Man Pleads Guilty To Methamphetamine Distribution
Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 6:30 P.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
CLARKSBURG, W.VA.- On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Frederick Blaine Rinehart, Jr., 54, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and Distribution of Methamphetamine.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard and charging information filed with the District Court, during an ongoing narcotics investigation, Rinehart was identified as a potential methamphetamine dealer in the Harrison County, West Virginia area, specifically the Clarksburg area. Investigators were able to link more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to Rinehart, some that he sold and some uncovered in his home during a court-authorized search.
Rinehart Faces Up To 20 Years In Federal Prison
Following entering his guilty plea, Judge Aloi accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for a date to be determined by the court. At sentencing, Rinehart faces up to 20 years in federal prison, at least three years of supervised release, and up to a $1 million fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bernard commended the investigative work of the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force for the investigation, arrest, and Rinehart’s guilty plea.
