Man sentenced to nearly 20 years for federal drug crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A man from Nicholas County, West Virginia, was sentenced Monday to nearly 20 years in prison for a federal drug crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Investigators say Lester Taylor Barnhouse, 43, of Craigsville, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Barnhouse ran from law enforcement officers who tried to arrest him in March 2022, according to the release.

“During the pursuit, Barnhouse hid a backpack under a waterfall in the woods near Nallen, Nicholas County. An officer following Barnhouse’s tracks in the snow found the backpack, which contained approximately 646.6 grams of methamphetamine, 129 grams of fentanyl, a loaded Taurus Millennium G2 pistol, and $6,740,” the release states.

Investigators say Barnhouse admitted he was going to sell the drugs. He also said the cash he had during his arrest was from drug transactions.