CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Montgomery man caught with substantial amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana was sentenced today to 10 years and a month in federal prison for a drug charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Bryan Lee Palmer, 43, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Palmer admitted that on February 26, 2016, he made arrangements for a drug deal to take place at a hotel in South Charleston. When Palmer arrived at the hotel, he was met by law enforcement. The officers obtained a search warrant for a duffel bag and backpack that was in Palmer’s possession. When officers searched the bags, they found over 1,500 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 700 grams of heroin, over a half a kilogram of marijuana, a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and over $30,000 in cash. Palmer further admitted that it was his intent to distribute the drugs in the Charleston area. Law enforcement estimated the street value of the seized drugs to be approximately $466,000.
The case against Palmer was investigated by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and members of its Sheriff’s Tactical Operations Patrol (STOP) team. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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