Wheeling Man Convicted on Possession of More Than 400 Grams - WTRF 7 News Sports Weather - Wheeling Steubenville

A jury has convicted Dawantaye Boswell on two drug counts involving crack cocaine Thursday according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.

Boswell, 36, of Wheeling  was first arrested on July 8 of 2011. He was convicted on possession with intent to distribute and maintaining a drug-involved premise for manufacturing crack cocaine. Judge Frederick Stamp, Jr. presided over the trial.

Police officers executed search warrants on Boswell's apartment last year, which resulted in the discovery of more than 400 grams of crack cocaine. The illegal drug had recently been cooked in the apartment according to authorities.

Ihlenfeld said the value of the drugs confiscated was the largest in Wheeling's history.

"The seizure in this case of 400 grams of crack cocaine, with a street value of between $50,00 to $70,000, was the largest ever in Wheeling," he said. "The excellent collaborative efforts of the Wheeling Police Department, the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration allowed us to remove nearly one pound of crack cocaine from the streets of Wheeling."

Boswell, who was previously convicted on a Federal felon in possession of a firearm, had been serving a three-year term of supervised release. He has been in custody since his arrest.

Boswell faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment in addition to $4.5 million in fines.