Northern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Ohio County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Xavier C. Coyle, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Coyle, age 29, pled guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Coyle, having previously been convicted of a felony, admitted to having 9mm pistol in December 2019 in Marshall County.
Coyle faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Jefferson County woman admits to her role in a heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl distribution operation in Berkeley and Jefferson CountiesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Amy Little, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has admitted to her role in a heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Little, also known as “Amy Jackson,” age 45, pled guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication facility.” Little admitted to using a phone to arrange a purchase of heroin in September 2018 in Berkeley County.Little faces up to four years incarceration and fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy D. Helman, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Grant County woman admits to mail fraudRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Sandra Mae Evans, of Petersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to mail fraud, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Evans, age 62, pled guilty today one count of “Mail Fraud.” Evans admitted to opening an IRA account at Pendleton Community Bank’s Petersburg, West Virginia, branch in July 2018. A check in the amount of $82,170.50 was mailed from St. Louis, Missouri to Pendleton Community Bank to be deposited into Evan’s IRA account. Evans then deposited the check in August 2018, knowing the check was fraudulent. Evans admits to then requesting and successfully collecting withdrawals from the fraudulent check totaling more than $42,000. Evans then sent $18,000 cash to someone in Florida and $11,000 cash to someone in Utah.Evans has agreed to pay $35,808.05 in restitution to the Pendleton Community Bank. The amount represents the unrecovered amount of withdrawals made against the fraudulent check.
Evans faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Berkeley County man admits to fentanyl distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nicholas Wayne Deminds, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing fentanyl, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Deminds, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Deminds admitted to distributing more than 25 grams of fentanyl in December 2018 in Berkeley County.Deminds also agreed to forfeit a box of 20 rounds of ammunition and $4,523.00.
Deminds faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
West Virginia Physician Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
A Morgantown, West Virginia, physician pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraudulently writing prescriptions using colleagues’ Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers and presenting stolen driver’s licenses to pick up fraudulently prescribed controlled substances from Morgantown area pharmacies for his personal use, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Powell of the Northern District of West Virginia.
Chad Poage, D.O., 35, pleaded guilty to one count of acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi of the Northern District of West Virginia.
Poage was an orthopedic surgeon who worked in a practice with locations in Morgantown and Fairmont, West Virginia. As part of his guilty plea, he admitted that, from November 2015 to March 2018, he wrote 30 fraudulent prescriptions for a total of approximately 1,330 50-milligram tablets of Tramadol, 420 5-milligram tablets of Diazepam, and 50 30-milligram tablets of acetaminophen-codeine no. 3, all for his own use. Poage further admitted that on each of the 30 prescriptions, he either wrote colleagues’ DEA registration numbers without their authorization or wrote the prescription out to a patient knowing that he would pick up the prescribed medication for his own use. Poage admitted that on multiple occasions, he presented stolen driver’s licenses when picking up fraudulent prescriptions from pharmacies.
The DEA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and West Virginia State Police investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force, under supervision by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia. Trial Attorney Patrick Mott of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner of the Northern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The ARPO Strike Force is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force has charged 60 defendants in 11 districts. The Health Care Fraud Unit, in general, maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, and has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Morgantown Pharmacist admits to drug charges, agrees to pay nearly $2 millionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Scott D. Tingler, a Morgantown, West Virginia pharmacist, has admitted to illegally distributing oxycodone, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Tingler, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Outside the Bounds of Professional Medical Practice” and one count of “False Tax Return.” Tingler admitted to conspiring with others to distribute more than 7,400 grams of oxycodone in Monongalia County and elsewhere from August 2014 to August 2018. Tingler also admitted to filing a false tax return in April 2015, grossly understating his taxable income.
Tingler has agreed to relinquish his pharmacy license and not seek to reinstate the same, and agrees to not seek employment in any position that would require or permit him to handle or dispense controlled substances during any period of incarceration or probation.
Tingler has also agreed to pay 28% of his unreported gross income from tax years 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. He has also agreed to forfeit any property or proceeds from the drug offense in the amount of $1,845,000, as well as a 2016 GMC Sierra 3500HD truck.
Tingler faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug count and faces up to three years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the tax count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tactical Diversion Squad, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division, the Morgantown Police Department, the West Virginia State Police BCI, and the Harrison County Sheriff's County Sheriff's Office investigated.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Monongalia County physician pleads guilty to drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG – A Morgantown, West Virginia, physician pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraudulently writing prescriptions using colleagues’ Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers and presenting stolen driver’s licenses to pick up fraudulently prescribed controlled substances from Morgantown area pharmacies for his personal use, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Powell of the Northern District of West Virginia.
Chad Poage, D.O., 35, pleaded guilty to one count of acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi of the Northern District of West Virginia.Poage was an orthopedic surgeon who worked in a practice with locations in Morgantown and Fairmont, West Virginia. As part of his guilty plea, he admitted that, from November 2015 to March 2018, he wrote 30 fraudulent prescriptions for a total of approximately 1,330 50-milligram tablets of Tramadol, 420 5-milligram tablets of Diazepam, and 50 30-milligram tablets of acetaminophen-codeine no. 3, all for his own use. Poage further admitted that on each of the 30 prescriptions, he either wrote colleagues’ DEA registration numbers without their authorization or wrote the prescription out to a patient knowing that he would pick up the prescribed medication for his own use. Poage admitted that on multiple occasions, he presented stolen driver’s licenses when picking up fraudulent prescriptions from pharmacies.
The DEA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and West Virginia State Police investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force, under supervision by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia. Trial Attorney Patrick Mott of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner of the Northern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The ARPO Strike Force is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force has charged 60 defendants in 11 districts. The Health Care Fraud Unit, in general, maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, and has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Former employee of bail bonding company sentenced for tax fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Jolynn Gilchrist, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to two years probation for tax fraud, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Gilchrist, age 50, former employee W&S Bail Bonding, doing business as A Bail Bonding by ABC of Wheeling, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “False Tax Return” in June 2018. Gilchrist admitted to filing an inaccurate federal tax return for the 2015 tax year.
Gilchrist was also ordered to pay $2,028 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Berkeley County man indicted on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Donald Wayne Wilson, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand today on firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Wilson, age 62, was indicted on one count of “False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Wilson, having been previously convicted of a felony, is accused of lying about his previous conviction when trying to purchase a .357 caliber revolver in September 2018 in Berkeley County.
Wilson faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tyler County woman admits to threat against President TrumpRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Taryn Corinne Henthorn, of Middlebourne, West Virginia, has admitted to threatening the President’s life, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Henthorn, age 25, pled guilty to one count of “Threatening to Kill the President of the United States.” Henthorn admitted to threatening to kill President Donald Trump in January 2019 in Tyler County.
Henthorn faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Pendleton County man admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jamie William Sites, of Circleville, West Virginia, has admitted to methamphetamine distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Sites, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.” Sites admitted to distributing methamphetamine in November 2017 in Pocahontas County and having a .22 caliber pistol during a drug crime in September 2018 in Pendleton County.
Sites faces not less than five and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for the drug count and faces at least five years incarceration and up to a $250,000 fine for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Grant County Sheriff’s Office; and the Moorefield Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Ohio woman sentenced for using someone else’s passportRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Khourtney Alexandra King, of Canton, Ohio, was sentenced today to eight months incarceration for using another person’s passport, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
King, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Misuse of a Passport” in March 2019. King admitted to giving another person’s passport to her employer as proof of identity and citizenship in November 2017 in Ohio County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Marshall County man sentenced for his role in a methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –James Wood, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for his role in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Wood, age 45, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Wood admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in 2017 and 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Hancock County addiction center co-owner sentenced for illegally selling suboxoneRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eric Drake, of Weirton, West Virginia, was sentenced to time served for illegally distributing controlled substances, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Drake, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of a Controlled Substance” in October 2018. Drake admitted to selling suboxone in Hancock County in May 2016.
Drake was also ordered to pay $100,000 in a money judgment. Drake was co-owner of an addiction treatment center, Advance Healthcare, Inc., located at 3300 West Street in Weirton.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Wagner and Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner Fraud Division; the WV Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; the Office of Ohio Attorney General Health Care Fraud; the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation; the Hancock-Brook-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office; and the Weirton Police Department investigated.
This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Eastern Panhandle man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Raymond Hoak, of Kearnysville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 41 months incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hoak, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in November 2018. Hoak, having previously been convicted of a felony, admitted to having five .22-caliber rifles, a .22-250 rifle, a .300-caliber rifle, a .380-caliber pistol, and another rifle in June 2018 in Jefferson County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Michigan man admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nicholas J. Mathis, of Warren, Michigan, has admitted to drug distribution and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Mathis, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess With the Intent to Distribute and Distribute Controlled Substances,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession With the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession With the Intent to Distribute Heroin within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession With the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime.”
Mathis faces not less than 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10 million for each of the conspiracy and aiding and possession of methamphetamine counts. He faces up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2 million for each of the heroin and fentany counts, and faces five years to life incarceration and a $250,000 fine for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Three Rivers Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Lewis County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA –Dustin Lee Watson, of Roanoke, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Watson, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Watson, having previously been convicted of a felony and domestic violence, admitted to having a .380 caliber pistol in October 2017 in Upshur County.
Watson faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Department of Justice Reaches Agreement to Resolve Americans with Disabilities Act Investigation of West Virginia’s Children’s Mental Health SystemRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it reached an agreement with the State of West Virginia to resolve its conclusion that there is reasonable cause to believe the State violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily institutionalizing children with serious emotional or behavioral disorders in residential treatment facilities instead of providing them in-home and community-based mental health services. Under the agreement, West Virginia will expand and improve in-home and community-based mental health services throughout the State to better meet children’s needs. The services include mobile crisis services, case management, therapeutic foster care, in-home therapy, and assertive community treatment. In addition, West Virginia will develop a plan to eliminate the unnecessary use of residential mental treatment facilities for children whom the State could serve in the community.
“This settlement will ensure that children are no longer unnecessarily institutionalized in residential treatment facilities far from family and friends,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the State for its willingness to make changes to better serve children with mental health needs in the community.”
“This is a substantial, landmark agreement. It has been a long time coming and its impact will be felt for generations to come,” said Mike Stuart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. “When I became United States Attorney, this matter had suffered with no agreement for more than four years. A settlement looked unlikely and, at times, near impossible. Today’s agreement reflects a genuine, shared commitment to children and families by the Department of Justice and the State of West Virginia, as well as a spirit of good faith and mutual respect between myself and Secretary Crouch. Let there be no doubt, the real winners here today are West Virginia’s children and families.”
“Children need and deserve stability, and staying at home while receiving treatment offers that and so much more,” said Bill Powell, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. “This issue is vitally important to the families in our district and our great state. This agreement will keep families closer and we are gratified that the State will be taking significant steps to improve the current situation. Our children are some of our most vulnerable citizens and this agreement is a step in the right direction for them and their families.”
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in finding out more about the ADA may visit www.ada.gov.
Department of Justice reaches agreement to resolve Americans with Disabilities Act investigation of West Virginia’s children’s mental health systemRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced that it reached an agreement with the State of West Virginia to resolve its conclusion that there is reasonable cause to believe the State violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unnecessarily institutionalizing children with serious emotional or behavioral disorders in residential treatment facilities instead of providing them in-home and community-based mental health services. Under the agreement, West Virginia will expand and improve in-home and community-based mental health services throughout the State to better meet children’s needs. The services include mobile crisis services, case management, therapeutic foster care, in-home therapy, and assertive community treatment. In addition, West Virginia will develop a plan to eliminate the unnecessary use of residential mental treatment facilities for children whom the State could serve in the community.
“This settlement will ensure that children are no longer unnecessarily institutionalized in residential treatment facilities far from family and friends,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the State for its willingness to make changes to better serve children with mental health needs in the community.”
“This is a substantial, landmark agreement. It has been a long time coming and its impact will be felt for generations to come,” said Mike Stuart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. “When I became United States Attorney, this matter had suffered with no agreement for more than four years. A settlement looked unlikely and, at times, near impossible. Today’s agreement reflects a genuine, shared commitment to children and families by the Department of Justice and the State of West Virginia, as well as a spirit of good faith and mutual respect between myself and Secretary Crouch. Let there be no doubt, the real winners here today are West Virginia’s children and families.”
“Children need and deserve stability, and staying at home while receiving treatment offers that and so much more,” said Bill Powell, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. “This issue is vitally important to the families in our district and our great state. This agreement will keep families closer and we are gratified that the State will be taking significant steps to improve the current situation. Our children are some of our most vulnerable citizens and this agreement is a step in the right direction for them and their families.”
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section.
View Settlement Agreement here:
Settlement Agreement
U.S. Attorney recognizes police weekRead the Press Release
WHEELING - U.S. Attorney Bill Powell recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.
In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which President Kennedy signed, declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
“We honor all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Our law enforcement officers put themselves at risk every day—for the rest of us. We honor them and their families this week and thank them for all of their sacrifices,” said Powell.
As a part of honoring law enforcement during this important week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will attend the Wheeling Police Department’s Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday, May 15 at Wheeling’s Heritage Port.
According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018. None of those deaths occurred in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2018 https://ucr.fbi.gov/leoka/2018/ released this week by the FBI.
The names of all 106 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2019.
The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2019.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.Randolph County woman admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Julie Ann Cutright, of Elkins, West Virginia, has admitted to running a drug house, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cutright, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises.” Cutright admitted to maintaining a home at 113 Riverview Drive in Elkins that was used for distributing methamphetamine, also known as “ice” from October 2017 to November 2017.
Cutright faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the Greater Harrison Drug &Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the West Virginia State Police, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the Buckhannon Police Department, and the Weston Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Ohio man admits to methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Victor Ramel Chancler Witcher, of Akron, Ohio, has admitted to methamphetamine distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Witcher, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Witcher admitted to working with others to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine from March 2018 to May 2018 in Mineral, Grant, and Randolph Counties.Witcher faces not less than ten years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; and the Ravenswood Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Hancock County man admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lavel L. Hicks, of Weirton, West Virginia, has admitted to drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hicks, age 43, pled guilty to two counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base,” four counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Hydrochloride,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Hicks admitted to distributing the drugs in November and December 2017 and December 2018 in Brook and Hancock Counties. Hicks, having previously been convicted or murder in the second degree in Brooke County Circuit Court, also possessed a 9mm pistol.
Hicks faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each drug count, and he faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Ohio man indicted for firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth Tribett, of Bellaire, Ohio, was indicted by a federal grand today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Tribett, age 46, was indicted on two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Tribett, having been previously convicted of a felony, is accused of having a .9mm pistol, a 6.35 caliber pistol, and a 22 caliber revolver in January and March 2019 in Ohio County.
Tribett faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lewis County Magistrate and Gilmer County Magistrate indicted on wire fraud, mail fraud, and obstruction chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Lewis County Magistrate Roger D. Clem, Jr. and Gilmer County Magistrate Alton L. Skinner, II were indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges involving wire fraud, mail fraud, and obstruction charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Clem, age 47, of Weston, West Virginia, and Skinner, age 57, of Sand Fork, West Virginia, were each indicted on one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud,” two counts of “Wire Fraud,” two counts of “Mail Fraud,” and one count of “Obstruction of Justice.” Skinner was also charged with one count of “False Statement to a Federal Agent.”
E-Z Out, LLC, based in Sand Fork, West Virginia, is an authorized bonding company in Lewis County. According to company records, E-Z Out is operated solely by Alton Skinner’s spouse, and employs Skinner’s son as an authorized bonding agent. Clem is accused of taking favorable actions in the courtroom for E-Z Out, including setting unnecessary surety bonds. Clem is accused of calling Skinner to arrange the bond of a detainee without presenting a list of authorized bonding companies to the detainee. Skinner would allegedly arrange for his spouse or son, as agents of E-Z Out, to be present at the arraignment of the detainee without the detainee’s informed choice of E-Z Out amongst other authorized bonding companies.
Clem and Skinner are accused of causing payments via electronic transmission which traveled outside of West Virginia. The two are also accused of mailing a contract and checks between Skinner’s spouse and Dave Bourne Bail Bonds, Inc. in Virginia, the general agent of the underwriter for E-Z Out.
Both men allegedly attempted to obstruct or impede the grand jury investigation. Skinner also allegedly made false statements to a special agent from the Internal Revenue Service Special Investigation Unit.
The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $18,900.
Clem and Skinner each face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the conspiracy, wire fraud and mail fraud, and obstruction counts. Skinner also faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the false statement count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Harrison County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Timothy Allen Crowe, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Crowe, age 56, was indicted on one count of “False Statement in Connection with the Acquisition of a Firearm.” Crowe, having been previously convicted of domestic battery, is accused of lying about his previous charges when trying to purchase a 9mm pistol in April 2018 in Marion County.
Crowe faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wheeling man admits to distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Randy Lee Donahue, Jr., of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Donahue, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Donahue admitted to distributing methamphetamine from an apartment located at 97 16th Street in Wheeling, within 1,000 feet of Wheeling Central Catholic High School in November 2018.
Donahue faces not less than one and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Washington, D.C. man sentenced for firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Roger Anthony Williams, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months incarceration for firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Williams, age 38, pled guilty to two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in January 2019. Williams, having previously been convicted of second-degree murder in Prince George’s County, Maryland, admitted to having a 9mm pistol in October 2017 in Berkeley County. He also admitted to having .45 caliber pistol and .45 caliber ammunition in September 2018 in the District of Columbia.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Tyler County man admits to firearms violationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael John Maisey, of Sistersville, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Maisey, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Maisey, being prohibited from possessing a firearm, admitted to having a 9mm caliber pistol in July 2018 in Tyler County.
Maisey faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Morgan County man sentenced for failing to update his sex offender registrationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Douglas Brett Bishop, of Great Capacon, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 months incarceration for failing to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Bishop, age 51, pled guilty to one count of “Failure to Register.” Bishop admitted to failing to register as a sex offender in Morgan County, West Virginia from May to September 2018. Bishop was convicted of a crime in Union County, South Carolina that required him to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshal Service and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Mineral County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Phillip Arnold Bennett, III, of Piedmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months incarceration for a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Bennett, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in January 2019. Bennett admitted to illegally possessing a .380 caliber pistol in September 2017 in Mineral County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Mineral County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – John Michael Martin, of Keyser, West Virginia, was sentenced today to three years probation for a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Martin, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Sale or Transfer to a Prohibited Person” in November 2018. Martin admitted to selling a 12-gauge shotgun to Nathan E. Carpenter, who was known to have been convicted of a crime, in April 2018 in Mineral County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Marshall County man sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
HEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – John Crow, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 33 months incarceration for distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Crow, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Crow admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in 2017 and 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Jefferson County man sentenced for destroying mailboxRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Derek Wayne Blanken, Jr., of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced today to two months incarceration for destroying a mailbox, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Blanken, age 21, pled guilty to one count of “Destruction of Letter Boxes or Mail” in January 2019. Blanken admitted to destroying a mailbox on Upper Clubhouse Drive in Harpers Ferry in October 2018.
Blanken was also ordered to pay $5,931 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Finucane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Postal Service investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Samione Monay Jones, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to three years probation for a drug distribution charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Jones, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base ‘Crack’” in January 2019. Jones admitted to selling “crack” cocaine in May 2017 in Berkeley County.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecutor’s Office, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County man sentenced for child pornographyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eric Eugene Smith, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 97 months incarceration for possessing child pornography, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Smith, age 51, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography” in January 2019. Smith admitted to having child pornography of children under the age of 12 in his possession in September 2018 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Wheeling man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles C. Ansley, Jr., of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced this week to 24 months incarceration for unlawful possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Ansley, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in February 2018. Ansley, having previously been convicted of burglary in Commons Pleas Court in Lucas County, Ohio, admitted to possessing a .22 caliber revolver in Ohio County on August 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Randolph County woman sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Crystal Key Hensley, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced this week to 30 months incarceration for operating a drug house, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hensley, age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises” in January 2019. Hensley admitted to using a place in Elkins to distribute methamphetamine, also known as “crystal” and “ice,” in August 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force; and the Elkins Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Monongalia County woman sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tara Nicole Shock, of Rosedale, West Virginia, was sentenced this week to 12 months incarceration for a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Shock, age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Shock, a person prohibited from having firearms, admitted to having a .40 caliber pistol and a .45 caliber pistol in August 2018 in Monongalia County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Morgantown Police Department, and the Williamstown Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Lewis County man sentenced to nearly 18 years for drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Trenton Farnsworth, of Weston, West Virginia, was sentenced this week to 215 months incarceration for methamphetamine distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Farnsworth, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Possession With the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in December 2018. Farnsworth admitted to possessing more than five grams of methamphetamine in Barbour County in April 2018.
Farnsworth was also ordered to forfeit $5,997.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Lewis County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA –Clarence Russell Foster, III, of Jane Lew, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Foster, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Foster admitted to distributing methamphetamine in May 2018 in Lewis County.
Foster faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshal Service and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Michael John Aloi presided.
Grant County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Carmen Liseno, of Cabins, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Liseno, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Liseno, having been previously convicted of two felonies, admitted to having a .40 caliber pistol in December 2017 in Grant County.
Liseno faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Grant County Sheriff’s Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Florida man sentenced for defrauding bank customersRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Roger Ernesto Ballester Caser, of Hialeah, Florida, was sentenced this week to five months incarceration for using others’ bank information and personal identification numbers to make purchases, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Caser, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Access Device Fraud – Use of Unauthorized Access Device” in February 2019. Caser admitted to using Main Street Bank of Wheeling’s customer banking information and PINs to make purchases totaling at least $1,000 in Ohio and Marshall Counties in March 2018.
Caser was also ordered to pay $11,013.92 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, the Wheeling Police Department, and the Moundsville Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
West Virginia physician found guilty of illegally distributing drugsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Dr. George P. Naum, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was found guilty today of illegally distributing controlled substances, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
After a six-day trial, a jury found Naum, guilty of one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Outside the Bounds of Professional Medical Practice,” and four counts of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Controlled Substances Outside the Bounds of Professional Medical Practice.” He was found not guilty of one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Controlled Substances Outside the Bounds of Professional Medical Practice.” Naum, age 60, conspired with others to illegally distribute controlled substances from a drug treatment center, Advance Healthcare, Inc., in Weirton, West Virginia from 2008 to 2016.
“Successful prosecutions like this one are complex, time consuming, and require great effort by talented prosecutors and law enforcement agents. The vast majority of medical providers are honorable and law abiding professionals. However, our determination to bring drug dealing doctors and other medical providers who violate the criminal laws and simultaneously ignore their professional obligations to do no harm is unwavering,” said Powell.
Naum faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Wagner and Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner Fraud Division, WV Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of Ohio Attorney General Health Care Fraud, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the Hancock-Brook-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the Greater Harrison County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, West Virginia State Police, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Weirton Police Department investigated.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Ohio County Magistrate admits to tax fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ohio County Magistrate Harry A. Radcliffe, III, has admitted to tax fraud, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Radcliffe, age 60, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Impede the Internal Revenue Service.” In tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015, Radcliffe accepted a total of approximately $22,000 in cash payments from William W. Seelbach, then owner of W&S Bail Bonding d/b/a A Bail Bonding by ABC (“ABC”), which payments were offered by Mr. Seelbach as bribes. These payments were made and received in cash, at least in part, in an effort to impede the Internal Revenue Service in the collection of income taxes. Radcliffe willfully failed to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service, resulting in a total tax loss of $5,500.00. He also failed to report this extra-judicial income to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
As a part of the plea, Radcliffe has agreed to pay $5,500 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Radcliffe faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.Monongalia County residents admit to drug chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Two Monongalia County residents have admitted to their involvement in a drug distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Clifford “Mike” Nethken, of Morgantown, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Nethken, age 45, admitted to working with another to sell cocaine base in Monongalia County in April 2018.
Bonnie Jo Korzun, of Granville, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin.” Korzun, age 39, admitted to selling heroin in Monongalia County in May 2018.
Nethken and Korzun each face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Maryland man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Desmon Johnson, of Parkville, Maryland, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Johnson, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Johnson, having previously been convicted of a felony, admitted to having five firearms in his possession in September 2016 in Preston County.
Johnson faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Monongalia County residents admit to drug chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Three Monongalia County residents have admitted to their involvement in a drug distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Tyler Hammack, of Westover, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base Within 1,000 Feet of Protected Location.” Hammack, age 22, admitted to working with another to sell cocaine base near Mascoli Park in Monongalia County in July 2018.
Kenneth Buzzo, of Granville, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Buzzo, age 58, admitted to selling cocaine base in Monongalia County in June 2018.
Sandra Riggleman, of Granville, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Riggleman, age 59, admitted to selling cocaine base in Monongalia County in April 2018.
Hammack faces at least one year and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Buzzo and Riggleman each face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Randolph County woman admits to methamphetamine chargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Gina Carol McCauley, of Beverly, West Virginia, has admitted to her role in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
McCauley, age 38, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “False Statement in Connection with the Acquisition of a Firearm.” McCauley admitted to conspiring with another to distribute methamphetamine in Randolph County from March to November of 2018. McCauley also admitted to lying to a firearms dealer when purchasing a .380 caliber pistol and 49 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition.
McCauley faces at least five years and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for the drug count and up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the Greater Harrison Drug &Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the West Virginia State Police, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the Buckhannon Police Department, and the Weston Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Monongalia County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Lemar Sheldon Conliffe, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Conliffe, also known as “AB,” age 43, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Conliffe admitted to working with another to sell cocaine base in April 2018 in Monongalia County.
Conliffe faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.