Beckley Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Narcotics Offense
Friday, August 29, 2025, 7:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BECKLEY, W.VA.- A 50-year-old Beckley, West Virginia, man, and local drug dealer will be facing up to 20 years in federal prison when sentenced early next year, after pleading guilty on Wednesday to selling over a half ounce of cocaine to an informant late last year, in Beckley, West Virginia.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, Roger Lee Cousins, 50, of Beckley, West Virginia, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn to Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Cocaine.
Following entering his guilty plea, Judge Aboulhosn accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for January 2, 2026. At that time, Cousins faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
According To Court Documents
According to the charging information filed with the District Court, on November 8, 2024, during an ongoing narcotics investigation, Cousins sold just a little over 14 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant during a controlled buy under the observation of law enforcement investigators in Beckley, West Virginia.
During his plea allocution on Wednesday, Cousins admitted to the sale and also admitted to selling around 27.2 grams of fentanyl during the transaction and receiving a total of $3,140 in exchange for the controlled substances. Cousins also admitted to additional criminal conduct. He admitted that he sold cocaine and fentanyl on October 21, 2024, cocaine on October 29, 2024, and fentanyl on December 6, 2024, in each instance to a confidential informant.
Acting U.S. Attorney Johnston commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for Cousins’ arrest and Wednesday’s guilty plea.
