Tabatha Rae Gardner, a 35-year-old resident of Huntington, was sentenced on May 11 to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address the distribution of illegal drugs in the Huntington area. According to court documents and statements made in court, Gardner sold approximately 3.47 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on October 31, 2024. The transaction took place in a garage behind her grandmother’s residence in Huntington. Gardner admitted to this sale as part of her plea agreement.
Law enforcement officials conducted seven controlled buys with Gardner between December 2023 and October 2025 at two residences where she lived during that period. Officers executed search warrants at one location in March and October of 2025, seizing more than 40 grams of fentanyl, about 3.5 grams of cocaine base, methamphetamine, and nearly $19,000 believed to be drug proceeds.
Gardner’s mother and co-defendant, Tina Marie Dixon, age 53 and also from Huntington, was previously sentenced on April 13 to five years and ten months in prison with three years supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base (crack).
United States Attorney Moore Capito said he commended the investigative work carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
Additional information about this case can be found on the website for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia or through PACER by searching Case No. 3:25-cr-172.
