| Two Parkersburg men arrested as part of a major take down of a multi-state drug trafficking organization appeared in federal court Wednesday.
Jeff Hoyler, 56, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and Nicholas Easton, 29, was sentenced to 29 months in prison, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart.
Hoyler and Easton were two of at least 29 people charged in federal and state court in connection to the take down.
During the operation, police found 291 grams of Fentanyl.
Stuart said if the Fentanyl had made it to the streets, it had the potential to kill 150,000 people.
"While we originally believed that we seized four pounds of heroin as part of this operation, testing has recently shown that a significant portion of the seizure was comprised of nearly 291 grams of Fentanyl. This is both scary and satisfying. Scary because so many West Virginians could have lost their lives and satisfying because law enforcement was able to stop this Fentanyl and shut down a major drug organization," Stuart said.
Stuart said this was the largest meth bust in West Virginia history.
Hoyler faces 10 years to life in federal prison. He will be sentenced in July.
In December, Easton admitted to selling between 50 and 200 grams of methamphetamine. | 
