A Kentucky man learned his fate in federal court on Monday, as a judge handed down a prison sentence of eight years and 10 months for his role in a regional drug trafficking operation.
Kody D. Harless, 28, of Tomahawk, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release, stems from a series of events that began in the summer of 2023. According to court records, law enforcement officers intercepted Harless on August 15, 2023, following a transaction in Huntington.
During a subsequent traffic stop, officers seized roughly 4.75 grams of fentanyl. Harless admitted in his guilty plea that he had pre-arranged the purchase and intended to sell a portion of the drugs.
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Beyond the single traffic stop, Harless confessed to a broader involvement in a conspiracy to move narcotics across state lines. Between July and November 2023, Harless regularly sourced both fentanyl and methamphetamine from the Huntington area, transporting the substances back to Kentucky for distribution.
This case is a small piece of a much larger puzzle involving 27 individuals indicted for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking organization (DTO).
While Harless and one other co-defendant pleaded guilty to separate charges, 23 others named in the main indictment have also entered guilty pleas. Charges remain pending against the remaining defendants, who are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the sentencing on Monday, following a massive joint investigation involving the FBI, the DEA, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
The multi-agency effort also included the West Virginia State Police, the ATF, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor led the prosecution.
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