In a significant development in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, three individuals have pleaded guilty to charges related to a large drug trafficking organization. The operation, led by Andrew Ross Hose, 40, of Bunker Hill, distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Berkeley, Hampshire, and Morgan counties.
Hose admitted to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. His role as the leader of the operation involved both selling drugs directly from his home and distributing them to other individuals. Bradley Allen Lopp, 35, also from Bunker Hill, and Marilynn Hope Baker, 27, of Shanks, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, acting as distributors in the region.
Hose faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and could be sentenced to life in prison, while Lopp and Baker face up to 20 years each. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was led by the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher.