Evergreen Reporter

Tyrece Ramone Phillips, a 38-year-old resident of Charleston, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the possession and intent to distribute fentanyl. The plea was entered in court today.

The case stems from an incident on October 3, 2024, when law enforcement intercepted a package addressed to Phillips' residence in Charleston. Upon executing a search warrant for the package, authorities discovered it contained approximately 572.2 grams of a substance with detectable amounts of fentanyl. A controlled delivery was arranged on October 4, 2024, using a sham substance substituted for the original contents. Phillips accepted this package into his home.

Subsequent searches of Phillips' residence revealed him holding the sham substance in an upstairs bathroom. Additionally, investigators found scales with residue and significant amounts of cash during their search.

Phillips is due for sentencing on April 24, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison with the potential for life imprisonment. Additional penalties include five years of supervised release and a possible $10 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson acknowledged the efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in investigating this case. The proceedings were overseen by United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin with Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II handling prosecution duties.

For further details, including related court documents and information, interested parties can refer to PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-177 or visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.