Cleveland man sentenced for trafficking fentanyl in West Virginia

WHEELING, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Cleveland man was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison Monday for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy in Ohio County.

Solomon Eli Watters, 28, pled guilty in January 2023 to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

The charges stem from an incident in February 2022 when Watters was stopped by the Wheeling Police Department.

A search of the Audi A7 he was driving led to the discovery of $3,556 in cash and a stolen Walther .380 caliber pistol.

Further investigation at Watters’ Wheeling residence uncovered additional firearms, ammunition, digital scales, and cocaine base.

Authorities expanded their search to two storage units in Washington, Pennsylvania, where they seized 1.26 kilograms of fentanyl and $208,860 in cash.

“The profits from fentanyl trafficking are spectacular, and that’s why people like Mr. Watters engage in it,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “We will continue to pursue long prison sentences in these cases and the forfeiture of the cash they generate.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Watters will forfeit the firearms, ammunition, $212,416 in cash, and the Audi A7 involved in the crime.

He will also serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.

Watters’ criminal history includes prior offenses related to drug possession, firearms violations, and aggravated assault.

The investigation was conducted by the Wheeling Police Department, the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Pennsylvania State Police.