Ketterman

PHILIPPI — A man has been sentenced to prison time on two felony charges in Barbour County Circuit Court.

Michael Brooks Ketterman, 38, entered guilty pleas to the charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (fentanyl), and conspiracy.

He was sentenced to three to 15 years in prison for the possession charge, and to 30 years for the conspiracy charge, to be served consecutively, making a total effective sentence of eight to 45 years.

Ketterman waived his right to a presentence investigation.

The hearing was presided over by Judge Shawn D. Nines on Jan. 13. Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Lynn Phillips represented the state, while Ketterman, who appeared at the hearing in person, was represented by attorney Ramsey Jorgenson.

According to the criminal complaint, prepared by Deputy C. Curkendall of the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office, police responded on Aug. 3 to a report of two individuals in a black sedan actively using narcotics near Arnolds Run Road in Barbour County.

En route, officers saw a black sedan matching the description pass and “initiated a turn to intercept the vehicle,” the complaint states. Police reportedly saw the sedan “cross the center line twice” and observed “significant movement within the cabin.”

A traffic stop was initiated and the sedan slowed but “moved to the right (and) continued to travel approximately half a mile before coming to a complete stop,” the complaint stated. Ketterman, the driver, “immediately attempted to exit the vehicle” but police blocked the vehicle and detained Ketterman.

The passenger was seen “making furtive movements and attempting to conceal plastic bags,” and police “removed her from the vehicle and detained her,” according to the complaint. While doing so, “a crystal-like substance fell to the ground” and police saw the passenger “had a torn plastic bag in her hand.”

During a search of the vehicle, police found syringes, glass pipes, plastic baggies, magnetic storage containers and digital scales, the complaint reads. The passenger “admitted to concealing a large quantity of methamphetamine inside her pants” and the substance was “weighed and confirmed to be approximately 114 grams of methamphetamine.”

Ketterman reportedly “claimed no knowledge of the narcotics, stating it was not his vehicle,” according to the complaint. Both Ketterman and the passenger were taken to the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, where “staff recovered an additional 19-gram bag of suspected fentanyl concealed in” the passenger’s body.