Queens Man Sentenced For Role In West Virginia Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1:40 P.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

CLARKSBURG, W.VA.- On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Jose Rivera, 37, of Queens, New York, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Thomas S. Kleeh to 70 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty for his role in a large-scale Drug Trafficking Organization in Berkeley County, West Virginia.

     According to Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard and charging documents filed with the District Court, during an ongoing narcotics investigation into drug distribution within the Northern District of West Virginia, that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and elsewhere.

Rivera Identified As A Supplier Of Cocaine

     During the course of the investigation, Rivera was identified as a major supplier of illicit narcotics. In one instance, Rivera supplied nearly three kilograms of cocaine to another defendant, who then drove the cocaine to West Virginia for distribution.

     This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.