Marshall County woman admits to drug charges

Marshall County woman admits to drug charges
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the United States Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brooke Janine Hayes, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to methamphetamine charges, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.

Hayes, 39, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine” and to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a Protected Location.”  Hayes admitted to working with others to distribute methamphetamine in Marshall County from February to April  2021, as well as selling methamphetamine near Golden Towers in Marshall County in March 2021.

Hayes faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the conspiracy count and faces at least one and up to 40 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000 for the distribution near a protected location count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton J. Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.