A Putnam County man pleaded guilty Monday in Charleston to five federal drug charges.
Christian Garrett Thornton, 29, of Bancroft, admitted to distributing oxymorphone pills, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin's office. He also pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute.
Between Feb. 24 and March 23, Thornton sold Opana pills in Kanawha and Putnam counties to a person cooperating with police, the release states. He also admitted to possessing additional pills on March 25, which he intended to distribute.
Thornton faces up to 20 years in prison when he's sentenced Jan. 13.
In a separate case in federal court in Huntington on Monday, Karson Williams, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of oxymorphone.
Williams admitted that on Jan. 14, 2014, he sold a confidential informant a 40-milligram Opana pill for $80. He admitted to aiding and abetting Bridgette Kelly in the sale.
Kelly previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxymorphone and is set to be sentenced Sept. 14. Williams is set to be sentenced Dec. 7. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
Jennifer Russell, who leased the residence on Bailes Drive in Nitro where the drug transaction took place, also pleaded guilty Monday to "knowingly maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing oxymorphone," a release states. She faces up to 20 years in prison when she's sentenced Dec. 7.