Newport News, Virginia – In a major sentencing related to a wide-ranging drug trafficking operation in Hampton Roads, two women have been sent to federal prison for their roles in distributing narcotics and transporting drug money across state lines.
Federal investigators began their probe in June 2021 after uncovering a large-scale drug distribution network operating out of Lux Auto, a used car dealership in Newport News, Virginia. According to court records and trial evidence, the car lot served as a front for illegal activity, with narcotics stashed in vehicles parked on the premises. The investigation ultimately led to the indictment of 37 individuals in a sweeping 127-count superseding indictment issued on September 11, 2023.
One of the individuals sentenced was 24-year-old Amanda Bell, who was found to be both a distributor and courier for the organization. Prosecutors said Bell regularly sold fentanyl and marijuana and conducted multiple controlled sales observed by law enforcement. During these transactions, Bell sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid often linked to fatal overdoses…