Two individuals have been sentenced for fentanyl and methamphetamine offenses in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced on April 14.
The sentencing highlights ongoing efforts to address the distribution of dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine, which pose significant risks to public safety.
Courtney Stewart, age 30, from Piedmont, West Virginia, received a sentence of 36 months in federal prison. According to prosecutors, Stewart worked with Nelson Anthony Zambito to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl in Mineral County and other areas. Law enforcement officers searched Zambito’s home and seized nearly 29 grams of methamphetamine and almost one gram of fentanyl. Zambito pleaded guilty in October 2025 and is awaiting sentencing.
In a separate case, Crystal Lyn Lewis, age 36, from Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy related to possessing with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Prosecutors said Lewis collaborated with Delano Butler and others in distributing controlled substances throughout the region. The investigation into this operation resulted in the seizure of between 30,000 and 40,000 pressed fentanyl pills as well as fourteen firearms and additional illegal drugs. Butler pleaded guilty on April 10, 2026; his sentencing is pending.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted both cases on behalf of the government. Multiple agencies participated in these investigations including local police departments across several states as well as federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Marshals Service (USMS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Postal Service (USPS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF), among others.
President Donald Trump has designated fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality even at trace levels. These prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
