Eric Jaeshon Ray, 32, of Detroit, also known as “Brody,” was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison followed by four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl. The sentencing took place in Charleston, West Virginia.
Court documents and statements revealed that between May and July 2025, Ray and co-defendant Franklin Fitzgerald Elly conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the St. Albans area of Kanawha County. During this period, Ray distributed fentanyl on four occasions to a confidential informant with Elly’s assistance.
Law enforcement officers searched Ray’s residence in St. Albans during the investigation and recovered two loaded pistols, about 250 grams of fentanyl, approximately 236 grams of oxycodone, and $4,000 in cash. Authorities determined that Ray was responsible for possessing or distributing around one pound of fentanyl.
Ray has previous convictions for felony assault with intent to murder and misdemeanor assault and battery.
Both Ray and Elly are among 16 people indicted following a federal investigation into drug distribution activities involving fentanyl and methamphetamine in Charleston between June 2024 and May 2025. Five defendants pleaded guilty from the main indictment; Ray and Elly are among four additional individuals who entered guilty pleas in related cases. Elly, also known as “Costco,” is scheduled for sentencing on February 9, 2026 after pleading guilty on September 2, 2025. Charges against other defendants remain pending; indictments are allegations until proven otherwise in court.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the sentence and praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) along with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which includes several local law enforcement agencies: Charleston Police Department, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Nitro Police Department, St. Albans Police Department, and South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the case while Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted it.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America—a national effort by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protecting communities from violent crime.
A copy of this press release can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia. Additional information is available through PACER by searching Case No. 2:25-cr-128.
