Local News
Front Royal man headed to jail for opioid distribution
FRONT ROYAL – A local man was sentenced to one year behind bars Monday after entering a guilty plea for the distribution of opioids.
Joe Lee Smelser, 49, appeared Monday in Warren County Circuit Court. The Front Royal resident was charged with two counts of the distribution of buprenorpine and naloxone, which are both schedule-III substances.
Circuit Judge Ronald Napier accepted the terms of the plea agreement, suspending one month of the one-year sentence.
Evidence was presented by Warren County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Fleming that a confidential informant made drug purchases from the defendant on Feb. 24 and March 4.
Attorney Eric Wiseley represented Smelser, who is scheduled to begin serving his sentence at the Rappahannock-Shenandoah-Warren Regional Jail at 8 p.m. Feb. 22.
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