Two Charleston Men Plead Guilty to Roles in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston men pleaded guilty on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, admitting to roles in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in the Charleston area. Antonio Andre Smith, also known as “Bro,” 50, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and Jerry Lucilo Grass, 41, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith and Grass each took part in the conspiracy between September 2025 and April 2026. Smith admitted that he distributed fentanyl generally in the Charleston area and worked with another co-conspirator to distribute fentanyl to customers. Grass admitted that he generally acquired fentanyl from a co-conspirator and re-distributed at least some of it to third parties in the Charleston area while also using some of it. As part of his guilty plea, Grass also admitted that he contacted the co-conspirator on March 8, 2026, to request an ounce of fentanyl for a customer and an additional quantity for his personal use. Grass further admitted that he also contacted a co-conspirator on March 16, 2026, to inform her that he planned to provide all the fentanyl in his possession to a customer and needed an additional ounce from her for that transaction. Grass also admitted that another co-conspirator contacted him about that transaction to confirm that the customer needed the additional ounce. Smith and Grass are scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2026. Smith faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Grass faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Smith and Grass are among eight individuals indicted following a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. Two of those defendants pleaded guilty to charges separate from the main indictment, which remains pending against the other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-51. ###