Burtchville Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Fentanyl in West Virginia
Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 7:00 A.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BECKLEY, W.VA.- On Monday, November 25, 2024, Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Burtchville, Michigan, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
According to U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and charging documents filed with the court, during his plea allocation on Monday, Phillips admitted that on April 30, 2024, he possessed around 19.8 grams of fentanyl in Beckley, West Virginia. Phillips further admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl in the Beckley area.
Phillips also admitted that he had been selling and distributing fentanyl in West Virginia while staying at a Mount Hope, West Virginia home, at times using two other individuals staying at the residence to distribute fentanyl. Phillips also agreed to forfeit one of the firearms and abandon three others that were seized during his arrest on April 30, 2024.
Following entering his guilty plea on Monday, Judge Aboulhosn accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for March 21, 2025, at which time Phillips faces up to 20 years in federal prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. The actual term of imprisonment will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge based on the seriousness of the offense and Phillips’ prior criminal history, if any.
