Ten individuals have been arrested on federal charges for their alleged involvement in a major drug distribution network operating across Southwest Virginia.
The suspects are accused of conspiring to distribute substantial quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl between 2021 and 2024.
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The arrests follow a comprehensive investigation led by law enforcement agencies in Wise County, Virginia, which uncovered a sophisticated operation involving drug sourcing from North Carolina and Kentucky.
The drug ring members allegedly transported multiple pounds of fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine into Southwest Virginia for further distribution.
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The following individuals are facing federal charges:
- Matthew Ryan “Red” Addington, of Pound, Va.
- Ashley Linden Beverly Jr., of Pound, Va.
- Brandon Gene Boggs, of Pound, Va.
- Eric Lee Coffey, of Norton, Va.
- James Eugene Gamble, of Wise, Va.
- Thomas Ray Houston Jr., of Blountville, Tenn.
- Keith Edward Payne Jr., of Wise, Va.
- Brittany Chantae Rose, of Pound, Va.
- Cody Allan Rose, of Pound, Va.
- Andora Lee Smith, of Pound, Va. and Mayking, Kentucky
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The investigation involved a collaborative effort between various local, state, and federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Drug Task Force, and multiple other police departments and agencies from Virginia and Kentucky.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, announced the arrests, highlighting the successful disruption of a major drug trafficking network that posed a significant threat to communities in Southwest Virginia.
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