Appalachia man found guilty of selling meth within close proximity to Central High School

WISE, Va. (WJHL) — An Appalachia man was found guilty on a pair of drug-related charges Friday after selling methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Central High School in Norton, Va. in May of 2019.

Dennis Wayne Russell, 60, was found guilty of distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance and distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance within 1,000 feet of school property, according to a news release from the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

The release states Russell sold meth from the Walmart parking lot in Norton near the school.

Russell is being held at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Duffield, Va. His next sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 4.

“We are thankful for the outcome of this jury trial,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Corey Salyers. “Methamphetamine is poisoning our community, and together with law enforcement, we are doing all that we can to combat the distribution of this drug in our region.”

The Southwest Virginia Multi-Jurisdictional Narcotics Task Force, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wise County Geographic Information Sciences Department assisted in this case.

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