Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Jason Anthony Barrett, 46, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, also known as "crack."

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Barrett's South Charleston residence and seized 432.5 grams of methamphetamine, 25.2 grams of cocaine, 11.4 grams of crack, and 13.68 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Barrett admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them to others.

Barrett further admitted that he sold 55.73 grams of methamphetamine on May 8, 2025, and 2.82 grams of fentanyl and 3.34 grams of crack on May 19, 2025, that both transactions occurred at his residence, and that he sold the controlled substances to a confidential informant.

Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Charleston Police Department. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-189.

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