Man from Las Vegas sentenced for Huntington fentanyl crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A man from Las Vegas convicted of selling fentanyl to a confidential informant at a motel in Huntington was sentenced Tuesday to 14 years and eight months in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Raymond Jaquette Howard, 34, of Nevada, admitted to selling approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to the informant on September 22, 2021.

On November 16, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl, officials say.

Howard further admitted to directing co-defendant David Anthony Wellman to sell quantities of fentanyl between September 2021 and December 2021. Wellman pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl on September 28, 2022.

On December 24, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Howard was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf.

Howard’s 14 years and eight months in prison will be followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.

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