BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — A wanted Bluefield man is in custody after the U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force arrested him for the distribution of fentanyl.
Austin Lee Pannell, 26 was arrested Friday, July 28 at 10 a.m. in the 400 block of Pinnacle Lake Road in Bluefield.
Pannell tried to prevent the officers from entering the residence upon their arrival by attempting to block the door, leaving the U.S. Marshals to conduct a forced entry before apprehending him. The officers found numerous firearms and narcotics in plain sight within the residence, calling for a search warrant.
Investigators seized a total of three firearms, 2 kilos of heroin, 1 kilo of fentanyl, 1 ounce of methamphetamine, 46 grams of marijuana, and $7,077. They confirmed the estimated “street value” of the narcotics adds up to be $500,000.
After being taken into custody Friday Pannell had his first federal court appearance in Charleston and is currently being held at South Central Regional Jail.
The West Virginia State Police, The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia are further investigating the case and additional charges are expected to be filed.