ATF - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
03/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/18/2026 09:56
Harrison County Man Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl, Methamphetamine (DOJ)
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A Clarksburg, West Virginia man has admitted to working with others to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Matthew Ryan Lester, 33, pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm charges. According to court records, Lester admitted to conspiracy to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams of fentanyl as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. Investigators recovered 900 grams of methamphetamine, 240 grams of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and more than $8,000 in cash during searches of his home and vehicle.
Lester is facing at least 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug count and faces at least 5 years for the firearms charge. 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 case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Philippi Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
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.
Updated March 18, 2026
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