Statesville Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Fentanyl Crime

Saturday, October 19, 2024, 9:15 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

BLUEFIELD, W.VA.- On Tuesday, a Statesville, North Carolina, man with a lengthy criminal record was sentenced to over a decade in federal prison for possession of narcotics, including fentanyl, that nearly killed two Oak Hill Police Officers when they were exposed to the drug during the arrest.

     On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Keith Deshon Adams, 39, of Statesville, North Carolina, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge David A. Farber to 156 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release on his previously entered guilty plea for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and a Quantity of Fentanyl.

Accoeding To The U.S. Attorney’sOffice

     According to U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and documents filed with the court. On September 7, 2022, members of the Oak Hill Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that Adams was a passenger in. Adams admitted in court that he tried to flee on foot after he was asked by Police Officers to exit the vehicle and stand in front of the Officer’s vehicle.

     During Adams’ attempt to flee, a Police Officer utilized a Taser gun to stop Adams. While struggling with the Police Officer, Adams opened a cross-body bag he was wearing and retrieved a plastic bag containing fentanyl powder from it. Adams then ripped the plastic bag open, causing the fentanyl to spill out of the bag and onto the officer’s clothing, face, and into his mouth. 

     The officer ingested some of the fentanyl and began to suffer an apparent overdose. While other Police Officers were securing Adams, a second Police Officer suffered an apparent overdose after being exposed to the fentanyl. Both Officers were transported to a local hospital, where they were administered Naloxone to counteract the fentanyl poisoning and later made a full recovery.

Adams Admits Guilt To Possessing Drugs

     Adams further admitted in court during his prior plea hearing that the cross-body he was wearing controlled substances, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and tablets containing methamphetamine and ecstasy.

     According to the National Crime Information Center Database, Adams has a long criminal history, including convictions for unlawful transportation of firearms, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and failure to register as a sex offender for prior convictions for sex crimes.

     U.S. Attorney Thompson commended the Oak Hill Police Department, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for the investigation, arrest, conviction, and Tuesday’s federal prison sentence.