News
September 24, 2008
City woman gets 87 months on cocaine charge
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A Charleston woman was sentenced in federal court Monday to 87 months in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Wanda Elaine Folden, 41, pleaded guilty in July, admitting that she had 143 grams of crack on May 31, 2007, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Folden gave the crack, along with marijuana and other drug paraphernalia, to a juvenile and told the child to hide it in the family's van, according to the release.

Folden later admitted selling drugs in the Charleston area for 10 years, according to the release.

She was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

Also Monday in federal court:

  • Miranda Bowyer, 24, of Bradley, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston in Beckley to 54 months in prison for her role in heroin distribution, according to the release.

    • She pleaded guilty in June and admitted that she made trips to New Jersey to get heroin to sell in the Beckley area.

  • Rodney Johnson, 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin. Johnson faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers in Huntington on Dec. 6.

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    Posted By: wvvoiceofreason (8:42pm 09-23-2008)
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    Anonymous: Apparently you are unaware of the drug problem in WV as it relates to pain pills. There have been numerous stories of robberies, forged prescriptions and kidnapping in order to obtain pain pills. Recently an addict in clarksburg held his mother hostage with a gun to her head in order to obtain 'painers' to feed his addiction. The elderly are victims of robbery by addicts trying to get pills. No one is suggesting that the chronically or terminally ill person should do without pain medication, but pain pills do not need to be haphazardly prescribed as if they were harmless. The human lives affected by narcotics addiction is not limited to adults. Many innocent children are born drug addicted, while others have to suffer a parent's addiction and the crime and poverty that accompanies it.

    Posted By: Anonymous (12:34am 09-23-2008)
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    You're an idiot. You'd rather have people be in pain than take the chance that they might catch a little buzz?

    Drug laws amount to government telling adults what they can do with their own bodies and minds.

    Posted By: wvvoiceofreason (7:15am 09-23-2008)
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    Meanwhile, doctors throughout the state continue to legally dispense hydrocodone, oxycontin, and other "pain pills" as if they were dispensing Tylenol or aspirin. A high number of heroin addicts began their addiction on prescription "pain pills". Although relatively cheap by prescription, the street value of these 'legal' drugs is sky high. These drugs are not imported from 3rd World countries or cooked up in some backwoods lab. These so-called medications are obtained only through physicians who all too often prescribe them when extra-strength ibuprofen would do. Why doesn't someone author some legislation to deal with this rampant problem?

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