Four Admit to Drug Trafficking in North Central West Virginia

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA - Four people have pled guilty in federal court this week for fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.

Michelle Denise Gallo, 57, of Fairmont, West Virginia, pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. According to court documents and statements made in court, Gallo was working with others to sell methamphetamine and other drugs and had firearms with her during her drug trafficking work. She's facing 10 years to life for the drug charge and 5 years to life for the firearms charge.

Lisa Dawn Andrews, 40, of Montrose, West Virginia, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Andrews admitted to working with others to sell methamphetamine in Randolph County and elsewhere. She's facing 10 years to life in federal prison.

Shawn Galin Whitley, Jr., 35, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Whitley was traveling from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Lewis County, West Virginia when the vehicle he was in was stopped by the Lewis County Sheriff's Department. Officers found a small amount of fentanyl stamps and cash in the vehicle. During a lawful search of Whitely's hotel room, task force officers seized more than 3,700 fentanyl stamps. He's facing up to 20 years in prison.

Justin Michael Hoover, 35, of Huttonsville, West Virginia, pled guilty to the distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. According to statements made in court, Hoover was selling methamphetamine from his home. He's facing 5 to 40 years in federal prison.

A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.

Investigative agencies include the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.