Akron Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine Conspiracy

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart today announced that Lennie T. Whisenant, Jr., 26, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  

“Whisenant was dealing meth in Huntington and Charleston and is now headed to federal prison,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “As long as out of state drug dealers keep peddling their poisons in this District, they will be prosecuted.”   

Whisenant previously pled guilty and admitted that during the months of April and May of 2019, he participated in a conspiracy with multiple individuals to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.  During the conspiracy, Whisenant and others utilized a residence located at 1235 25^th Street in Huntington to store methamphetamine after it was shipped from the Akron area.  Whisenant and others then conducted distributions of the methamphetamine to various customers in the Huntington and Charleston areas.  Whisenant also reported back to sources in Akron regarding amounts of methamphetamine that had been sold and amounts that remained in Huntington.  As part of his plea, Whisenant admitted that he was responsible for distributing up to 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.    

This joint investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.  United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-00245.