A Pennsylvania man, who has a prior record of drug offenses, has received a 10-year federal prison sentence for possessing fentanyl with the intention of distributing it in West Virginia.
Jo-El Torres, a 40-year-old resident of Pittsburgh, received his sentencing on Friday after being apprehended during a routine traffic stop in Clarksburg. During the stop, a K9 officer detected the presence of narcotics in the vehicle that Torres was driving.
When the officers asked Torres to get out of the vehicle, he tried to swallow a bag that had fentanyl and other drugs. However, the officers managed to restrain Torres and recover the bag.
Torres has been convicted of federal drug charges for the third time, resulting in a substantial sentence in this particular case. After serving a 10-year prison term, he will also be placed under three years of supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar. It was a collaborative effort involving the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarksburg Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police, who conducted the investigation.
