Mineral County Man Admits to Selling Fentanyl, Methamphetamine

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A Keyser, West Virginia man has admitted to working with others in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Mineral County, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.

Lucas Earl Shoemaker, 34, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine hydrochloride. Shoemaker used his residence on Knobley Road in Keyser to operate the drug trafficking organization. Investigators received information that led them to obtain and execute a search warrant at the Knobley Road residence, where substantial quantities of fentanyl, high-purity methamphetamine, cocaine, firearms, ammunition, cash, and drug distribution materials were seized.

On September 24, 2024, law enforcement officers encountered Shoemaker following a 911 call reporting suspicious and dangerous behavior at a Mineral County business. Officers located Shoemaker and who was in possession of a loaded Springfield XD .45-caliber handgun concealed on his person, and a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 rifle located inside his vehicle. Shoemaker was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Officers also recovered fentanyl from the vehicle, along with syringes indicative of ongoing drug use and drug trafficking activity.

Shoemaker's guilty plea reflects accountability for his role in distributing fentanyl and unlawfully possessing firearms-conduct that endangered the community and contributed to the ongoing fentanyl crisis impacting West Virginia and communities nationwide. Fentanyl-a substance President Donald J. Trump has publicly described as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality-poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts.

Shoemaker faces up to 20 years in 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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

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 Robert W. Trumble presided.