Three sets of indictments related to the delivery of controlled substances resulted in a plea deal in the Greenbrier County Circuit Court.
Carrie Renee Palmer entered the guilty plea on Wednesday, January 26. Palmer was indicted alongside Bruce Allen Plumley in June 2021 on two counts – delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Both counts emerge from an alleged incident on January 24, 2020.
However, Greenbrier County Prosecuting Attorney Patrick Via, in the hearing, further explained the charges Palmer was entering a plea to, noting there had been three separate indictments.
“On February 19, 2020, Ms. Palmer was possessed with a controlled substance, that control substance being methamphetamine, a scheduled two controlled substance,” explained Via. “Her possession of methamphetamine occurred in the Neola area of Greenbrier County, West Virginia and her possession also existed with the intent to deliver. … On January 17, 2020, …Palmer had in her possession a controlled substance, methamphetamine, a schedule two controlled substance, that she delivered to an individual in exchange for $200 of U.S. currency, a portion of that methamphetamine, and the transaction occurred in Greenbrier County.”
“Is what he stated substantially?” asked Greenbrier County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Dent.
“Yes,” Palmer said. “I did what he said I did.”
“Do you understand that if these sentences were to run consecutively, you would be looking at a two to 10 [year sentence] and a maximum fine of $30,000?” Dent asked.
“Yes,” responded Palmer.
When asked if there could be any defense if the case were to go to trial, one of the two defense attorneys, Kristopher R. Faerber, noted there would not be for “all counts and certainly no meritorious defense to the count which she pled guilty. I do believe this agreement to be in her best interest, believe that to be in the interest of justice.”
Via also noted, after a question from Dent, “law enforcement was consulted, specifically the task force member responsible for the case and yes, I do also believe that the plea constitutes Fair Administration of Justice.
In addition, $1,100 in restitution would be paid to the victims of the crime. However, there is $1,578 in the evidence of the case, and the restitution amount will be drawn from this, with the leftover returned to Palmer. Dent also noted the deal contains “cooperation paragraph indicating that you agree to cooperate with law enforcement in these matters and other matters in which you may have knowledge. … The parties are reserving the right to comment as deemed appropriate at the sentencing hearing, but the sentencing is in the sole discretion of the court.
The deal also saw the dismissal of a number of other charges in the three total indictments.
“The state moves to dismiss count one of 20-F-77, counts two through five of 21-F-75, and counts one and two, which is the entirety of 21-F-76,” Via said, which Dent then granted. These charges include four deliveries of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin, and one count conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, methamphetamine.
“On or about January 24, 2020, in Greenbrier County, [Palmer and Plumley] unlawfully, knowingly, intentionally and feloniously conspired with one another to deliver a controlled substance … and, to effect the object of this conspiracy, [Plumley] delivered said controlled substance to another person,” reads the 21-F-76 indictment.
She continued forward with the plea.
“What is your plea?” Dent asked.
“Guilty,” Palmer replied, for both counts of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, methamphetamines, charges.
Dent accepted the guilty plea. The case will next move towards sentencing.
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