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Two Men Sentenced in Separate Federal Cases in Louisiana and West Virginia

Announcements reported on Aug. 14, 2026 describe sentences of 36 months and of at least 16 years, with the two outlets differing on the term imposed.

4 reports on this incident · first at Aug 15, 2026, 1:48 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 14, 2026, 6:55 p.m. ETWritten Aug 15, 2026, 2:29 a.m. ET
Two men have been in federal cases involving a fentanyl-distribution plan and the impersonation of a federal officer, according to reporting announced on Aug. 14, 2026. KALB reported the announcement came from the . The defendants are named as Clayton Prunest, of Oak Hill, and John Gueringer, 51, of Oakdale, according to reporting by KALB and WOAY. The charges are given as planning to sell fentanyl and impersonating a federal officer. The sentence imposed is reported differently by the two outlets: WOAY reported a sentence of , while KALB reported . The fact record does not resolve the discrepancy. The accounts of the conduct also differ. According to KALB, the government said John Gueringer approached Oakdale Police officers responding to a domestic disturbance on July 22, 2024, wearing a lanyard that appeared to contain an authentic Drug Enforcement Agency badge, claimed to belong to the agency, and told officers to contact the DEA in an attempt to block their investigation and avoid arrest; KALB reported that investigators determined he was not affiliated with the DEA and that he confessed he was trying to mislead law enforcement. According to WOAY, the government said Clayton Prunest planned to sell fentanyl and was arrested following a 2025 traffic stop in which police found fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and meth in his car along with $2,600 in cash, and was arrested again in March after police found meth, scales and drug packaging in a car he was in with two other people.

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 15, 2026, 2:26 a.m. ET

    Two Sentencings Reported in Separate Fentanyl and DEA-Impersonation Cases

    Two defendants have been sentenced, according to reporting published by woay.com and kalb.com, with the outlets describing sentences of between 36 months in federal prison and at least sixteen years in prison \ ame of at least sixteen years in prison, and kalb.com reported a sentence of 36 months in federal prison. The announcement was made on August 14, 2026, according to kalb.com.

    The defendants named in the reporting are Clayton Prunest, of Oak Hill, and John Gueringer, 51, of Oakdale. The charges described across the two accounts are planning to sell fentanyl and impersonating a federal officer. kalb.com identified the prosecuting office as the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana.

    The outlets give differing accounts of the conduct alleged. According to woay.com, the government said Clayton Prunest planned to sell fentanyl and was arrested following a 2025 traffic stop in which police found fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and meth in his car along with $2,600 in cash, and was arrested again in March after police found meth, scales and drug packaging in a car he was in with two other people. According to kalb.com, the government said John Gueringer approached Oakdale Police officers responding to a domestic disturbance on July 22, 2024, wearing a lanyard that appeared to contain an authentic Drug Enforcement Agency badge, claimed to belong to the agency, and told officers to contact the DEA in an attempt to block their investigation and avoid arrest; kalb.com reported that investigators determined he was not affiliated with the DEA and that he confessed he was trying to mislead law enforcement.

    Neither published account states which of the two sentences was imposed on which defendant, and the two accounts cannot be reconciled from what the outlets have reported so far.

  2. Aug 15, 2026, 1:52 a.m. ET

    Oak Hill Man Sentenced to at Least 16 Years in Fentanyl Case

    Clayton Prunest, of Oak Hill, has been sentenced to at least sixteen years in prison for planning to sell fentanyl, WOAY reported. The outlet did not report a statutory maximum for the offence.

    According to WOAY, the government said Prunest planned to sell fentanyl. He was arrested after a 2025 traffic stop in which police found fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and meth in his car, along with $2,600 in cash, the outlet reported. He was arrested again in March after police found meth, scales and drug packaging in a car he was in with two other people, according to WOAY.

  3. Aug 15, 2026, 1:48 a.m. ETFirst report

    Oak Hill Man Sentenced to at Least 16 Years Over Plan to Sell Fentanyl

    Clayton Prunest, of Oak Hill, has been sentenced to at least sixteen years in prison in a case involving plans to sell fentanyl, according to WOAY.

    WOAY reported that the government said Prunest planned to sell fentanyl, and that he was arrested following a 2025 traffic stop in which police found fentanyl, heroin, ketamine and methamphetamine in his car, along with $2,600 in cash. According to the outlet, he was arrested again in March after police found methamphetamine, scales and drug packaging in a car he was in with two other people.

    WOAY's report does not identify the court that imposed the sentence, the date of sentencing, or whether Prunest was convicted at trial or entered a plea. It includes no statement from Prunest or a defense attorney. This account rests on that single report and remains developing.

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Revision history

  1. Version 115 Aug 2026, 06:26current

    First published.

  2. Version 115 Aug 2026, 05:48current

    First published.

  3. Version 115 Aug 2026, 06:29current

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  4. Version 115 Aug 2026, 05:52current

    First published.

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