MARIETTA – A Belpre man facing drug charges was arrested Wednesday on a federal charge of retaliating against a witness after he allegedly threatened a Parkersburg woman.

Brent J. Sidwell, 32, was arrested at his 1045 Ridgewood Blvd. home at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday by agents from the Major Crimes Task Force, special agents from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service and deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Sheriff Larry Mincks, the arrest was made on a federal warrant issued by the U.S. District Court in Charleston.

A criminal complaint filed with the district court alleged that Sidwell confronted a witness at her place of employment in Parkersburg Saturday and called her derogatory names, IRS Special Agent Warren J. Somerville wrote.

“He followed her around the business and put her in fear of bodily injury by saying, ‘Your time will come,'” Somerville wrote in the criminal complaint. “This incident was the most recent of several similar events and occurred the day after Sidwell met with his attorney to review discovery and discuss a proposed federal plea agreement.”

Sidwell was placed in the Washington County Jail without bond Wednesday, and was picked up Thursday morning by U.S. Marshals, according to the sheriff’s office.

Tony Riley, case administrator for the U.S. District Court in Charleston, said Sidwell was transported to the South Central Regional Jail in Charleston where he’ll be held pending a preliminary hearing and detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Sidwell and his wife, Jodi, 30, were indicted by a Washington County grand jury in May on charges that included trafficking in cocaine and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Brent Sidwell was indicted on two first-degree felony counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, and four first-degree felony counts of drug trafficking for allegedly selling cocaine to undercover Major Crimes Task Force agents in March and April.

Jodi Sidwell was indicted on a first-degree felony count of complicity to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Following the May indictments Assistant Washington County Prosecutor Alison Cauthorn said the corrupt activity charges stem from drug activity going back to 2009.

On Thursday Cauthorn said the Washington County charges against the Sidwells are on hold while the federal government pursues its case.

Brent Sidwell’s attorney, George Cosenza of Parkersburg, said Thursday the federal investigation parallels Washington County’s case against the Sidwells.

“Any drug case can also become a federal case,” Cosenza said. “And there’s the potential that the county case could be handled by the feds. At this time the federal government is looking into taking over jurisdiction of this case.”

In the May indictment Washington County authorities indicated that Brent and Jodi Sidwell were co-owners of the Fifth Street Pub in Parkersburg, and the couple could face forfeiture of the business and related assets.

But Cosenza said Thursday that the Sidwells do not own the pub.