Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory D’Arquaes Zander, 35, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Zander was a passenger and a second vehicle, a blue truck, on Interstate 77 North near the Kanawha County-Jackson County line. Officers found a rifle case in the blue truck containing six firearms: a Smith & Wesson model M&P 10mm M2.0 10mm pistol, a Springfield Armory model DS Prodigy 9mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson model M&P 9 9mm pistol, a Kimber model Rose Gold Ultra II .45-caliber ACP pistol, a Glock model 17 Gen 4 9mm pistol, and a CMMG model MK4, 5.78x28mm pistol. Officers also found a wallet in the blue truck containing Zander’s state identification card and birth certificate and receipts for the purchase of two of the firearms.
The receipts listed the driver of the blue truck as the purchaser. The driver told investigators that Zander paid him to drive the blue truck to Michigan and directed him to place the rifle case in that vehicle earlier that day while it was parked outside two adjacent apartments maintained by Zander in Charleston. The driver also admitted that he purchased several firearms for Zander at Zander’s direction and with money provided by Zander, and transported the firearms to one of Zander’s Charleston apartments after each purchase.
Investigators established that Zander had accompanied the driver during the purchase of the four other seized firearms and wore one of the firearms on his ankle during a purchase.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Zander knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, methamphetamine, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 22, 2021.
Zander is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-55.
###
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Commends the Release of Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson commends the announcement of the Department of Justice’s new resource for prosecutors, “Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims.”
The announcement was made on Monday, May 20, 2024, in Dallas, Texas, at the Conference on Crimes Against Women by Rosemarie Hidalgo, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The guide, written by prosecutors for prosecutors, sets out five principles that, if implemented, will lead to better outcomes for victims, safer communities, and greater accountability for perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“The framework announced today reaffirms our commitment to expanding access to justice for all survivors, who deserve respect and the right to be heard,” Hidalgo said. “Enhancing the prosecution response to sexual assault and domestic violence in a trauma-informed manner is a key piece in ending gender-based violence, as part of a broader coordinated community response that includes services and support for survivors, and can have a real, immediate impact on the safety of survivors and entire communities.”
“This guide is a welcome resource for prosecutors at all levels of government, and goes to the heart of our primary obligation to the Constitution, to the rule of law, and to see that justice is done,” Thompson said. “In clear language informed by decades of expertise, insight and experience, it offers a blueprint for a stronger, consistent, and more effective response to these crimes.”
Declinations of meritorious allegations may result from misconceptions about how crimes involving sexual assault and domestic violence are committed and reported, how victims give their accounts, and the evidence required to prove their accounts. This guide equips prosecutors to build provable cases by: (1) relying on the evidentiary value of the victim’s account to frame the investigation; (2) meeting with victims and working with investigators and victim specialists to do so; (3) using the law and evidentiary rules effectively; (4) being thoughtful about what justice and accountability look like; and (5) sustaining a productive, healthy, and committed workforce by redefining success– all of which are rooted in a prosecutor’s primary obligation to seek the truth and uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.
“As the state sexual assault coalition, the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (WVFRIS) applauds the efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice to assist prosecutors in holding offenders accountable in cases of sexual assault and domestic violence,” said WVFRIS Executive Director Nancy Hoffman. “This is particularly timely in West Virginia, as our state Sexual Assault Kit Initiative has completed the processing of thousands of sex crime kits that had not been submitted for testing. With DNA results and hundreds of matches in CODIS, this project is now in the process of supporting local law enforcement officers in investigating and prosecuting those cases. Strengthening prosecution efforts will be the final step in providing justice for the victims each case represents.”
More than 120 state, Tribal, military, and federal prosecutors, as well as advocates, academics, and investigators from an array of jurisdictions were consulted in developing this guide. This guide is designed to encourage prosecutors with all levels of experience to implement its principles when evaluating, investigating, and prosecuting allegations involving sexual assault and domestic violence. In conjunction with this guide, OVW launched a new webpage with resources designed to assist prosecutors in implementing the guide and its principles. This guide further serves as a complement to the Justice Department’s 2022 updated guidance on Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW funds national training and technical assistance and undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###
Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Amy Lynn Carter, 40, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years and 15 days in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to deliver 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 20, 2021, Carter was a passenger in a vehicle parked at a Barboursville convenience store when a law enforcement officer approached the vehicle. The officer observed drug paraphernalia in plain view within the vehicle. A police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found 19 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, more than 242 grams of methamphetamine and $10,300. Carter admitted that she possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute it. Carter further admitted that she intended to buy approximately 8 pounds of methamphetamine in Ohio with the cash found in the vehicle for distribution within the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-19.
###
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tyson Davis Sr., 45, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 14, 2023, Davis sold approximately 2.93 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a parked vehicle in Huntington. Davis admitted to the transaction.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-23.
###
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Quintez Robert Kilgore, also known as “Cortez Robert Jackson,” 28, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 6, 2023, law enforcement officers encountered Kilgore on the 200 block of Olive Street in Huntington while searching for a fugitive. Kilgore admitted that he possessed a Glock Model 33 .357-caliber pistol that he placed underneath a nearby vehicle to conceal it as the officers approached him. The officers saw Kilgore’s attempt to hide the firearm and seized it. Kilgore admitted that he also possessed 12.64 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and 9.78 grams of fentanyl that the officers found and seized. Kilgore further admitted that he intended to distribute the seized controlled substances.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Kilgore knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in Cabell County Circuit Court on October 12, 2017, and being a person prohibited from possessing firearms in Wayne County Circuit Court on January 8, 2020.
Kilgore is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-6.
###
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Antione Terren Glanton, also known as “Twan” and “T,” 46, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 27, 2022, Glanton sold approximately 27.5 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of crack to a confidential informant in the area of the 2500 block of Washington Boulevard in Huntington. Glanton admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand.
Glanton further admitted to selling approximately 2.7 grams of crack to the confidential informant in the area of the 200 block of Olive Street in Huntington on October 24, 2022, and to selling approximately 2.9 grams of crack and 1.3 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on the 2500 block of Washington Boulevard in Huntington on January 5, 2023.
On January 11, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Glanton’s Marcum Terrace residence in Huntington and found approximately 15 grams of crack, 32 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of heroin, digital scales, fentanyl test strips and $501. Officers also found a loaded Glock 19 9mm pistol and a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol in Glanton’s possession. Glanton admitted that he possessed the seized crack, fentanyl and heroin and intended to distribute the controlled substances.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-113.
###
Mason County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Franklin Will III, 42, of Point Pleasant, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2023, law enforcement officers encountered Will while responding to reports of a suspicious person at a Point Pleasant residence. The residents told officers that Will had entered their home with two firearms. Officers recovered a loaded Sig Sauer AR-15 .223-caliber rifle and a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber revolver at the residence. Will admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Will knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for attempt to commit a felony on December 7, 2015, and conspiracy on November 13, 2017, both in Mason County Circuit Court, and for unlawful possession of a deadly weapon by a felon in Wood County Circuit Court on April 16, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Point Pleasant Police Department and the Mason County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-148.
###
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Andrew Nicholas-Scott Titus, 33, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Titus relocated from Michigan to Lavalette, West Virginia. In October 2023, Titus relocated from Lavalette to Huntington, where he lived in a residence with four minor children. Titus failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after each relocation.
Titus is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior convictions for gross indecency between a male and female on March 21, 2022, and for distributing obscene materials to a minor on August 6, 2015, both in Wexford County, Michigan, Circuit Court.
Titus is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-26.
###
Boone County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kevin Wayne Britton, 54, of Danville, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 1, 2023, Britton possessed a Savage model 67F 12-gauge shotgun and a Hoban Manufacturing model 45 .22-caliber rifle in the South Charleston area.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Britton knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony conviction for obstruction of justice in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 15, 2012.
Britton is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-30.
###
Former FCI Beckley Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Contraband CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Cody Adam Bays, 32, of Beaver, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for providing contraband to an in inmate of a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 7, 2022, and February 14, 2023, Bays was a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley when he provided contraband items to FCI Beckley inmates. Bays admitted that he provided various controlled substances including suboxone, marijuana, synthetic marijuana and tobacco. Bays also attempted to smuggle fentanyl into FCI Beckley but sampled the substance, which led to a serious overdose.
Bays admitted that he profited from this illicit activity in the amount of $20,800. Bays received approximately $5,000 for the suboxone, $4,000 for the fentanyl substance, $3,500 for the synthetic marijuana and $2,000 for the marijuana.
Bays was paid in cash or through financial mobile applications. By accepting these illicit payments, Bays became part of a multi-state drug trafficking criminal enterprise that engaged in a complex system of electronic money transfers to facilitate the sale of illegal drugs in the federal prison system.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-165.
###
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Eric I. Day, 53, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 21, 2021, law enforcement officers responding to reports of an altercation on South Huber Street in Beckley encountered Day and his girlfriend. The officers recovered a Lorcin model .380-caliber handgun from the waistband of Day’s shorts.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Day knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Raleigh County Circuit Court on May 16, 2017.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-86.
###
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Recognizes National Police Week with Memorial Ceremony and Grant Award VisitRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Will Thompson is recognizing the service and sacrifice of federal, state and local law enforcement.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
In the Southern District of West Virginia, Thompson participated in a wreath-laying and awards ceremony honoring law enforcement at Parkersburg City Hall on Monday, May 13, 2024. Thompson was also the event’s guest speaker.
“Law enforcement represents the community,” Thompson said. “They’re part of the community. They’re the first call when anyone in the community is in trouble. Their jobs are not easy jobs. The fact that the community came out in such strong numbers today is an incredible display of support.”
On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, Thompson joined with Bluefield Police Chief D. M. Dillow Jr. and other community partners to celebrate a $450,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant awarded to the City of Bluefield. The grant was awarded through DOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and its Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative. Its funding will help strengthen The Wade Center, Camp Mariposa of Southern West Virginia, and other youth-serving programs to expand after-school, summer learning, and enrichment opportunities for Mercer County young people.
The Bluefield Police Department and the nonprofit Community Connections Inc. are active partners of The Wade Center as it provides educational, mentoring and other services to youth at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system.
“This is an excellent example of how an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Thompson said. “The benefit to the community is incredible and National Police Week offers a great opportunity to highlight the role of our law enforcement partners in such outreach initiatives.”
This year’s National Police Week is observed from Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
The names of 282 officers killed in the line of duty were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in 2024. On Monday, May 13, 2024, those names were read during the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The names include that of West Virginia State Police Sgt. Cory Steven Maynard and West Virginia Division of Probation Services Officer Steven Paul Gitlin II.
To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://www.youtube.com/live/_AJEOg_3npQ?si=18ApdMCWLRVQmCLx.
The complete 2024 Roll Call of Heroes is available at https://nleomf.org/memorial/facts-figures/roll-call-of-heroes/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Travell Lamar Johnson, 45, of Big Chimney, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 14, 2023, Johnson sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Charleston gas station. Johnson admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand with the confidential informant.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Co-defendant Alexis Nicole Davis, 26, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-177.
###
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin L. Saunders, 33, of Mabscott, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Saunders on a felony warrant. During the arrest, officers found a Ruger model EC9s 9mm handgun on Saunders.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Saunders knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and malicious wounder in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 5, 2012.
Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-185.
###
Former West Virginia Official Sentenced for Making False StatementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Priddy, 49, of Buffalo, West Virginia, was sentenced today to one year of federal probation for making a false statement. Priddy admitted that he lied to federal investigators about the verification of invoices for COVID-19 testing that he certified for payment while an official with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the summer of 2021, a federal investigation was initiated to determine whether the State of West Virginia had been defrauded of federal funds allocated for COVID-19 testing and mitigation services. Investigators focused on one vendor that had submitted invoices approved by Priddy for payments exceeding $34,000,000. Priddy approved the invoices while deputy director of WVDHHR’s Center for Threat Preparedness. The vendor submitted the invoices under WVDHHR programs for providing COVID-19 testing services to West Virginia schools and Emergency Medical Services providers.
On August 2, 2022, federal agents interviewed Priddy, who by then was director of the Center for Threat Preparedness, at his WVDHHR office. Priddy explained in detail how he and WVDHHR staff would verify the invoices before approving them. Priddy’s explanation was false. Neither Priddy nor other WVDHHR staff ever verified the invoices before Priddy approved payment.
On September 8, 2022, Priddy testified before a federal grand jury and repeated his false claim of having personally verified or directing WVDHHR staff to verify the invoices prior to approving payment.
Priddy’s false statements made it difficult, if not impossible, for investigators to ascertain whether the vendor had provided the services for which it had been paid. The investigation continued for over two years, requiring the expenditure of tremendous manpower and other resources. Investigators found no evidence that Priddy colluded with the vendor or received financial or other personal benefits in exchange for approving the vendor’s invoices.
“The investigation revealed Mr. Priddy’s appalling failure to make any effort to assure that public funds were properly expended,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Significant questions remain regarding the legitimacy of the vendor’s invoices, but there is no evidence that Mr. Priddy lied to protect the vendor or further its business. Instead, it appears that Mr. Priddy lied to hide his own dereliction of duty.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the West Virginia Legislature’s Commission on Special Investigations.
“Shamelessly manipulating financial relief systems for personal gain, lying about it despite being given ample opportunity to tell the truth, and doing so while being in a position that is supposed to serve the best interests of the public is something the FBI will not stand for,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our partners stand firm in our resolve to root out financial fraud and abuse, no matter who the individual is or what position they may hold.”
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks, Holly Wilson and Kathleen Robeson and former Assistant United States Attorney Philip Wright prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-162.
###
Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Che Dushon Lark, 48, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a vehicle parked without permission in a private driveway on Charleston’s West Side. Officers encountered Lark slumped over in the vehicle’s driver’s seat, and observed a package on Lark’s lap containing 4.4 grams of methamphetamine and 11.2 grams of a mixture of heroin and methamphetamine.
Officers removed the package from the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove Lark from the vehicle, he drove off and fled at a high rate of speed through narrow streets. Lark struck and fatally injured Heather Ross of Charleston with his vehicle as she was escorting her four children to their bus stop for school. Lark abandoned his vehicle following the hit-and-run and fled on foot.
On June 11, 2020, law enforcement officers captured Lark in a residence in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he was found hiding in the attic under insulation. Lark possessed a fake Michigan driver’s license, gave officers a false name and did not have the consent of the property owner to be in the residence.
In early 2021, Lark used various third parties to distribute drugs, coordinating those distributions by cell phone. On February 23, 2021, Lark’s girlfriend sold approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant after setting up the sale by cell phone. On March 4, 2021, Lark coordinated the sale of a quantity of fentanyl by Rebecca Dunlap, an associate of Lark’s, to a confidential informant.
On March 17, 2021, Dunlap drove from Charleston to Columbus, Ohio, to pick up controlled substances for Lark. Dunlap was stopped by law enforcement officers on her way back to Charleston with approximately 799 grams of methamphetamine and 200 grams of fentanyl. Dunlap admitted that she made that trip to Columbus to pick up drugs for Lark and further admitted that she delivered drugs to Lark from Columbus on two other occasions.
Dunlap, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on September 2, 2021, to traveling in interstate commerce to promote, carry on, and facilitate a methamphetamine and fentanyl drug conspiracy, and awaits sentencing.
Lark has a long criminal history that includes at least nine prior convictions in Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee and West Virginia, including four convictions for controlled substances-related offenses and three for fleeing from law enforcement.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-84.
###
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Jarrett Brown, 43, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2023, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Brown in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County. During the traffic stop, a police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of methamphetamine in Brown’s person and a Smith & Wesson model SW40VE .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol and 9mm ammunition in the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on January 31, 2020.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on September 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-203.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jalen O. Thomas, 26, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 27, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Thomas was staying. During the search, officers seized a Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm semiautomatic handgun, a Glock model 17 Gen 5 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver. Thomas admitted to possessing the seized firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for felony fleeing in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 11, 2018.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-197.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Davon Jamir Linder, 24, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2023, Linder sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Linder admitted to the transaction.
Linder is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-171.
###
Statement from United States Attorney Will ThompsonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and its partners have concluded an investigation involving now-former Kanawha County Commissioner W. Kent Carper. The investigation uncovered significant allegations of concern. It also found that Carper had significant health issues that could have had an impact on his actions relevant to the investigation. As a result, a decision has been made to end the investigation without taking further action, United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today.
In general, the U.S. Department of Justice does not publicly announce investigations or investigative findings. Department of Justice policy allows exceptions in certain circumstances, including when the issue under investigation has already received significant publicity. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia follows Department of Justice policy and regulations when deciding which investigations and investigative findings to announce publicly.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###
Wyoming County Man and Raleigh County Woman Plead Guilty to Evading Financial Reporting RequirementsRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Merrick Rice, 43, of Mullens, and Miranda Aliff, 32, of Rock Creek, each pleaded guilty today to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. Each admitted to structuring bank deposits of illicit drug proceeds to evade currency transaction reporting requirements.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in or around mid-2019 Rice and Aliff, both then in a romantic relationship, became involved in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and other controlled substances in and around Mullens. Aliff admitted that Rice obtained the marijuana in wholesale quantities from Jack Paskin, 33, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, who caused the marijuana to be shipped to them from various sources in California, Oregon and elsewhere.
On March 2, 2020, Rice created She Paints Quite a Lot LLC, a single-member limited liability corporation, with the West Virginia Secretary of State. Aliff was listed as the LLC’s sole member. On March 3, 2020, Paskin, Rice and Aliff traveled to the Beckley branch of domestic financial institution where they opened a business bank account in the name of the LLC. Paskin and Aliff were listed as signers on the bank account.
Rice and Aliff admitted that the LLC had no legitimate business purpose. Rice and Aliff further admitted that the LLC was created to transfer the proceeds of the marijuana distribution conspiracy from them to Paskin. Beginning on March 17, 2020 and continuing through August 13, 2020, Rice, Aliff and others connected to this conspiracy made cash deposits of less than $10,000 in the LLC’s bank account at the Beckley branch. The deposits were made in 27 transactions and totaled $228,000. Rice and Aliff admitted that these transactions were specifically designed to avoid currency reporting requirements. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement. Rice and Aliff further admitted that the $228,000 consisted of proceeds from the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Rice also admitted to assisting other individuals in depositing a total of $54,000 in increments of $9,000 in the LLC’s bank account on six separate occasions between June 1, and June 23, 2020. Rice admitted that he knew the June 23, 2020, bank deposit was made in an amount that would avoid triggering the reporting requirement.
Aliff also admitted that she and Rice purchased 111 U.S. Postal Service money orders totaling $109,000 as part of a method to pay Paskin. Rice drove Aliff to different posts offices in or near Raleigh County and directed Aliff to purchase a $1,000 money order at each post office. Federal law requires the U.S. Postal Service to obtain information from the purchaser of money orders, wire transfers, and stored value cards when the dollar amount of cash purchases total $3,000 or more. Aliff admitted that Rice advised her how to structure these transactions to avoid triggering the U.S. Postal Service reporting requirements. Aliff further admitted that Rice involved another individual to travel to these posts offices and purchase the money orders.
The money orders were payable to Paskin or to Akashic Connections, a business entity established by Paskin. Once Rice had secured the necessary amount of money orders, usually totaling $8,000, he and Aliff would deposit them at Beckley bank branches into Paskin’s personal bank account or a business account in the name of Akashic Connections.
Rice and Aliff are scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2024, and each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
On February 21, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Paskin with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Paskin awaits trial. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-66 (Rice) and 5:24-cr-65 (Aliff).
###
Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Grover D. Jordan, 57, of Charmco, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 18, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Jordan in Fayetteville. Jordan admitted that he possessed three firearms discovered during the traffic stop: a Taurus model PT1911 .45-caliber pistol, an Armi Galesi model 9 6.35mm pistol, and a Beretta model 3032 Tom Cat .32-caliber pistol with a removed, altered or obliterated serial number.
Jordan also admitted that he possessed a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver discovered during an August 20, 2023 traffic stop by law enforcement of a motorcycle he was operating in Charmco. Jordan further admitted that he possessed a Dupont electric generator, which is explosive material under federal law, discovered during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jordan knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for two counts of wanton endangerment in Raleigh County Circuit Court on March 15, 2019.
Jordan is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Fayetteville Police Department, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Justin Marlowe are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-29.
###
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Sentencing of Charleston Man Marks Major Milestone in Takedown of Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The recent sentencing of Jasper Wemh, 39, of Charleston, to 16 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, marks a significant milestone in a four-indictment drug trafficking organization (DTO) case that yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history.
Wemh is among 27 of 32 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the case and among 20 sentenced to prison. The case is the result of a major drug trafficking investigation dubbed Operation Smoke and Mirrors in which law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
The Court cited the “dedicated and relentless” work of law enforcement in the case when sentencing Wemh. The Court also said the case represents an aggressive and ongoing effort by law enforcement to target traffickers of such “incredibly damaging” drugs as methamphetamine.
“This case is a great example of what happens when you put an outstanding team of law enforcement together,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Cases such as this are made possible by everyone working together on the same team.”
“This is a clear testament to the power of collaboration between the FBI and our federal, state, and local partners. These individuals threaten the safety of our community whether it be from bringing in these poisonous drugs or from the violence often associated with the drug trade,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “We’re proud of the work our investigators conducted to seize a record amount of illegal drugs. The FBI and our partners stand committed to keeping these drugs, and those peddling them, off our streets and out of our communities.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wemh is responsible for over 85 pounds of methamphetamine distributed by the DTO in 2022. Wemh routinely completed transactions involving multiple pounds at a time, and sold over 20 pounds of methamphetamine during a single night on December 4, 2022.
Wemh obtained methamphetamine from his out-of-state supplier on consignment, distributing the methamphetamine to multiple customers and paying his supplier from the proceeds from distributing the supplier’s methamphetamine. Wemh made payments totaling $250,000 to a runner working on behalf of his supplier to repay his methamphetamine debts. Wemh often provided methamphetamine to his customers on consignment, knowing they were redistributing the methamphetamine he sold them.
Wemh also admitted to conspiring with other people to distribute cocaine base, also known as “crack,” that he received from his supplier on occasions prior to December 3, 2022. Wemh stored quantities of methamphetamine, crack and cocaine at a Greenbrier Street residence in Charleston. Wemh admitted that he frequently obtained these drugs from a safe in the residence, and that a pistol was kept in that safe as well.
Wemh is the lead defendant in one of the four indictments in the case, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was sentenced on May 2, 2024. Wemh has a long criminal history that includes a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 7, 2011. The Court cited Wemh’s criminal history at sentencing.
Among the other defendants sentenced to prison in the case:
- Michael Allen Roberts Jr., 41, of St. Albans, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on March 6, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
- Justin Allen Bowen, 41, of Charleston, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison on August 31, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Perry Johnson Jr., 30, of Dunwoody, Georgia, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on April 11, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
- Todd Tyler Snead, 58, of Waynesboro, Virginia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on September 6, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Ryan Keith Kincaid, 47, of South Charleston, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on December 8, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
- Telisa Rene McCauley, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced to nine years in prison on November 9, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Les Van Bumpus, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison on January 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Indictments against five defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:23-cr-4 (Wemh et al.), 2:23-cr-31 (Jeffries et al.), 2:23-cr-33 (Estep et al.) and 2:23-cr-32 (Gonzalez et al.).
###
A video of the press conference announcing this update is located on the YouTube Channel for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVBu0jOOkCk.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tyson Davis II, 28, of Huntington, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2021, Davis sold approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant inside a vehicle on the 1600 block of Doulton Avenue in Huntington. Davis admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on November 3, 2021, in Huntington.
On November 9, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Davis’ vehicle and Fourth Street West residence in Huntington and seized approximately 399 grams of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 9mm pistol. Davis admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-241.
###
Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeren Danielle Canterbury, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2023, Canterbury sold approximately 27.84 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $230 in Nitro. Canterbury admitted to that transaction and to selling approximately 111.46 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant for $800 in Charleston on March 15, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-138.
###
Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Theft CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jennifer Douglas, 48, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to theft from federal programs.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, Douglas was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Citizens Conservation Corp (CCC), a non-profit organization, when it obtained $111,221.09 from the United States Department of Interior National Park Service (NPS). As part of a cooperative agreement with NPS, CCC was supposed to use the funds it obtained to recruit, hire, place, and pay two interns who would perform work at the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation for 13 months.
Douglas admitted that CCC did not hire or place an intern under the task agreement for which it received the federal funds, most of which was to be used for intern wages. Douglas instead directed an accountant to draw down $108,752.60 of the obligated federal funds and intentionally misapplied those funds, by fraudulently converting them to CCC’s use. Douglas admitted that she directed that the federal funds be used for unallowable operating expenses for CCC. Douglas further admitted that she did so with the approval of and at the direction of CCC Chief Executive Officer Robert Martin.
Douglas ran CCC’s day-to-day operations as COO and was responsible for managing its various departments. All department heads reported to Douglas, and she reported only to Martin. CCC’s primary source of income from in or around 1998 until in or around the summer of 2018 had been a multimillion-dollar contract with the State of West Virginia to operate the Courtesy Patrol roadside assistance service. CCC lost the Courtesy Patrol contract in the summer of 2018.
Douglas admitted that she was aware that CCC was extremely financially unstable after CCC lost the Courtesy Patrol contract. Douglas further admitted that her position as COO gave her, in conjunction with and at the direction of Martin, the ability to fraudulently convert and intentionally misapply the federal funds for CCC’s use. Douglas also admitted that, at Martin’s direction, she drew down approximately $59,978.13 from other incomplete task agreements under the cooperative agreement with NPS and intentionally misapplied and/or fraudulently converted those funds as well.
Douglas is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Douglas also owes $168,729.13 in restitution.
Martin, 67, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on January 12, 2024, to fraudulent receipt of property from a debtor. Martin admitted to paying himself without authorization while CEO of CCC after it filed for bankruptcy on April 3, 2019. Martin further admitted that CCC knowingly misspent the $108,752.60 received from NPS under the cooperative agreement. Martin awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Interior-Office of Inspector General (DOI-OIG).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-141.
###
West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Christopher Jason Smyth, 48, of Pineville, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and for obstructing the IRS.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through part of 2017, Smyth operated Stat EMS, LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville, West Virginia. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For two quarters in 2016, Smyth, however, did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
The jury found Smyth guilty of two counts of failing to pay over taxes for two quarters in 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS related to its efforts to collect the unpaid taxes from Smyth. It found Smyth not guilty on the failure to pay over taxes counts related to two quarters in 2017. Smyth is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4 and faces up to up to five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count and three years in prison for obstructing the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson, and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes of the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-182.
###
West Virginia Ambulance Services Business Owner Convicted of Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Christopher Jason Smyth, 48, of Pineville, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, for failing to pay the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and for obstructing the IRS.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through part of 2017, Smyth operated Stat EMS, LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville, West Virginia. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For two quarters in 2016, Smyth, however, did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
The jury found Smyth guilty of two counts of failing to pay over taxes for two quarters in 2016 and one count of obstructing the IRS related to its efforts to collect the unpaid taxes from Smyth. It found Smyth not guilty on the failure to pay over taxes counts related to two quarters in 2017. Smyth is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4 and faces up to up to five years in prison for each failure to pay taxes count and three years in prison for obstructing the IRS. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson, and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes of the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-182.
###
U.S. Attorney Thompson and Law Enforcement Officials to Provide Update Regarding Largest Methamphetamine Seizure in West Virginia HistoryRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with law enforcement officials on Monday, May 6, 2024, at 11 a.m. to provide an update regarding the ongoing major drug trafficking prosecution involving the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history.
WHAT: Update regarding major drug trafficking prosecution (“Operation Smoke & Mirrors”)
WHEN: Monday, May 6, 2024, at 11 a.m.
WHERE: Fifth floor, Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, Charleston
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###
Kanawha County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Benson Cline II, 49, of Cedar Grove and a convicted sex offender, pleaded guilty on Thursday, May 2, 2024, to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between on or about July 24, 2023, to on or about November 6, 2023, Cline possessed 22 images and 134 videos of child sexual abuse material including digital media files depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his instant messaging app account that he accessed through his cell phone.
Cline is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Cline is a registered sex offender, as a result of his conviction for soliciting a minor via computer on February 24, 2011.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-42.
###
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alexis Nicole Davis, 26, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Davis possessed 10 grams of fentanyl that was arranged to be sold at a Charleston gas station. When Davis arrived at the gas station, she recognized the would-be buyer was a confidential informant and the sale was not conducted. After Davis left the gas station, law enforcement officers stopped her and found the fentanyl in her purse. Davis admitted that she possessed the fentanyl and intended to distribute it to others.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-72.
###
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson to Announce Guilty Plea in Bankruptcy Fraud Case with U.S. Trustee and Law Enforcement OfficialsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will hold a press conference with U.S. Trustee Program and law enforcement officials on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. to announce a guilty plea in a bankruptcy fraud case.
The press conference will be held at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston, and is slated to include officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Trustee Program and the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
WHAT: Plea Hearing Press Conference
WHEN: Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Fourth Floor, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###
Charleston Developer Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – John H. Wellford III, 73, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to falsification of bankruptcy records.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 29, 2019, Wellford filed for bankruptcy on behalf of Corotoman Inc., a real estate development company he owned and operated. As part of the bankruptcy, Corotoman’s Statement of Financial Affairs required Wellford to disclose all monetary transfers from Corotoman outside the ordinary course of business that had occurred in the two years prior to filing for bankruptcy. Wellford admitted that, despite this requirement, he did not disclose that he had transferred $925,326.43 from Corotoman on or around May 2, 2018 to another of Wellford’s businesses, Marsh Fork Development.
Approximately 10 months prior to the bankruptcy filing, Corotoman received a large influx of cash while it was struggling financially and while one of its creditors was actively trying to collect on an outstanding debt. Wellford deposited a $1,978,101.40 check from American Electric Power in Corotoman’s bank account on or around April 30, 2018. Wellford then transferred $925,326.43 of the funds to Marsh Fork Development on or around May 2, 2018. From that money, Wellford transferred $680,000 to his lawyer’s client trust account. Over the next five months, Wellford caused his lawyer to transfer the entire $680,000 back to various businesses that Wellford owned, primarily Marsh Fork Development.
Wellford admitted that all of these transactions were to ensure that he maintained possession and control over the money so that he could use the money for his businesses. Additionally, when Wellford attended a May 28, 2019 meeting of creditors, he testified that Corotoman had not made any payments to creditors outside the ordinary course of business in the year prior. When Wellford twice amended Corotoman’s bankruptcy filings to account for other undisclosed transactions that took place at the same time as the transfer, he failed to disclose the transfer.
Wellford is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Wellford also owes $925,326.43 in restitution.
“The defendant sought to abuse the bankruptcy process and conceal the transfer of these substantial funds because he wanted to keep that money and did not want it to be available to his company’s creditors,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU) and the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner-Special Investigations Division. The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
“Financial crimes undermine our foundation of economic stability. The message here is clear: our economy is not a marketplace for manipulation, theft, or criminal activity,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “No one is above the law and the resolve to uphold it remains resolute for the FBI and our partners. Truth will always find its voice in the pursuit of justice.”
“Debtors’ responsibility to provide truthful, accurate, and complete information is essential to the proper function of the bankruptcy system,” said Acting United States Trustee Gerard Vetter of Region 4, which includes West Virginia. “This case demonstrates the dedication of the United States Trustee Program and the Justice Department to enforce the statutes imposing that responsibility and to ensure a fair process for debtors, creditors and other stakeholders. We thank U.S. Attorney Thompson and our law enforcement partners for their commitment to protecting the integrity of the bankruptcy system.”
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-63.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leon Eugene Smith Jr., 43, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 15, 2023, Smith sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in the Lenark area of Raleigh County. Smith admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on three occasions between December 19, 2023, and January 3, 2024, all in the Lenark area.
On January 8, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence. Officers found fentanyl, marijuana, a pill bottle containing oxycodone, a pill bottle containing black tar heroin, three cell phones, a security system, $1,170 and scales, money counters, vacuum sealers, and other items of drug paraphernalia. Officers also found six long guns, two pistols, a 50-round drum magazine, a 30-round drum magazine, two 30-round rifle magazines and assorted ammunition. Smith admitted to possessing the firearms, magazines and ammunition and further admitted that the drug paraphernalia items were used in the distribution of fentanyl.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-22.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Michael Dwayne Kelly II, 34, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2022, Kelly sold approximately 6.9 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $700 at Kelly’s residence in Beckley. Kelly admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 28 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant for $500 at his residence, on February 10, 2022.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kelly’s residence on February 17, 2022, and seized 189 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of heroin, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber handgun, a Taurus model 22LR handgun, a Sig Sauer model 1911 .45-caliber handgun, a Glock model 42 .380-caliber handgun and $13,046. Kelly admitted that he intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
Kelly is scheduled to be sentenced on August 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Co-defendant Savannah Elizabeth Todd, 31, of Beckley, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and heroin on March 1, 2024.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-163.
###
Huntington Man Sentenced for Making False Declaration in Bankruptcy CaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – John Christopher Spence, 67, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention with GPS monitoring, and fined $5,000 for making a false declaration in a bankruptcy case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about April 30, 2019, Spence filed for bankruptcy as an individual and separately on behalf of Park Place Properties LLC, one of his businesses. In the days and weeks leading up to his filing for bankruptcy, Spence made extravagant purchases including the buying of airfare to Grand Cayman Islands, Aruba, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Spence admitted that he made these purchases knowing that he would be filing for bankruptcy and did so with the intent of defrauding creditors through the bankruptcy process.
Spence also admitted that he knew he was required to identify creditors and submit various schedules of assets and liabilities and a statement of financial affairs in each bankruptcy case. Each schedule and statement of financial affairs was filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court under criminal penalty for false swearing, concealing property, and obtaining money or property by fraud. On May 30, 2019, Spence caused to be filed Schedule A/B, a disclosure document, and a statement of financial affairs in his individual bankruptcy case. Spence failed to disclose that he had legal or equitable interests in condominiums in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Scottsdale, Arizona; Avon, Colorado; Port Saint Lucie, Florida; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Spence admitted that he falsely stated on his Schedule A/B that he did not own or have any interest in condominiums. Spence further admitted that he lied about his legal or equitable interests in any condominiums during a meeting of creditors in his bankruptcy case on June 6, 2019.
At the time he filed for bankruptcy, Spence owned a 100 percent interest in J.C. Spence Company LLC. Spence admitted that failed to disclose in each bankruptcy case that he owned J.C. Spence Company LLC, that he held a 100 percent interest in this company, and that this company possessed substantial assets.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-184.
###
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Role in Counterfeit Currency ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Xavier Sanders, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced today to three years of probation after serving five months in jail, for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Sanders admitted to his role in a conspiracy to create and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 12, 2022, Sanders and co-defendants Jamarcus Harris and Crystal Wilks traveled with another individual from North Carolina to West Virginia. Sanders admitted that they passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville.
Sanders and his co-conspirators rented a room that evening at a Summersville hotel, where they attempted to create new counterfeit United States currency. Sanders admitted that their counterfeiting process involved bleaching $1 bills, scanning a genuine $100 bill, and printing the scanned image on the bleached bills.
Harris, 33, and Wilks, 24, of Lenoir, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on October 13, 2023 to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Harris was sentenced on February 2, 2024, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $800 in restitution. Wilks awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon, Andrew D. Isabell and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-54.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Encourages West Virginians to Participate in DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2024Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. United States Attorney Will Thompson encourages West Virginians to take advantage of this latest opportunity to dispose of old, unwanted and unneeded medications.
Take Back Day offers a free, safe and anonymous way to get rid of prescription drugs that are susceptible to diversion and abuse. Dozens of collection sites throughout West Virginia have already been announced. Information including a collection site locator is available at www.DEATakeBack.com.
“This may seem like a small, simple step to take, but safely disposing of prescription drugs can go a long way in preventing tragic outcomes,” Thompson said.
Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
For more than a decade, the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 8,950 tons of medication from circulation since its inception
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###
Ringleader Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization CaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Derrell Cashawn Massey, also known as “Rell,” and “Fat Rell,” 34, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Massey admitted to a leading role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2023, Massey distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Ninth Street residence in Huntington where Massey was living. The confidential informant had called Massey beforehand to arrange the transaction, agreeing to pay $2,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine.
Massey admitted to the transaction and further admitted to participating in the DTO from at least November 2022 through November 2023. Massey’s participation included arranging for quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to be transported from Detroit and other areas to Huntington for distribution. Massey also distributed at least 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a specific customer in Nitro, West Virginia, and directed other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl to various customers. Massey admitted that he aided and abetted the distribution of a total of 8.6 pounds of methamphetamine on 10 separate occasions between February 27, 2023, and September 7, 2023.
Massey and other DTO participants used multiple residences to store and distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence in Huntington. On September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers seized six 9mm semiautomatic pistols at Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence.
Massey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Massey is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Massey is also among 21 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case..
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.
###
Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Dewayne Miller, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, admitting to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller participated in the conspiracy from in or about October 2022 to in or about January 2023. Miller is responsible for over 2 and a half pounds of methamphetamine due to this involvement in the conspiracy. Miller distributed quantities of methamphetamine supplied by co-defendant Alexandria Jasmine Estep, who acquired pound-level quantities of methamphetamine from co-conspirator Jasper Wemh. Estep would check with Miller to see if the methamphetamine had been sold and Estep would collect the proceeds of such sales from Miller. Occasionally, Estep would receive methamphetamine back from Miller for the purpose of selling it.
Miller, Estep and Wemh are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Estep, 22, of Charleston, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Wemh, 39, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on March 30, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and awaits sentencing. Miller, Estep and Wemh are among 27 defendants who have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-33.
###
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Frank W. Basenback, 37, of Huntington, was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 8, 2023, Basenback sold approximately 56 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on the 3300 block of Harvey Road in Huntington in exchange for $1,000. Basenback admitted to the transaction and further admitted that he had agreed beforehand to sell heroin to the confidential informant.
Basenback also admitted to selling a total of approximately 243 grams of fentanyl to confidential informants at the same location for a total of $4,000 during separate occasions on August 23, 2023, and September 4, 2023.
On September 14, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant a Basenback’s Haynie Road residence. Officers found approximately $42,892 in the residence and approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl in a truck parked outside. Officers also found $711 on Basenback’s person. Basenback admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized fentanyl, and further admitted that the seized cash and $14,608.69 in his bank account were drug proceeds from selling fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-155.
###
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Dwayne Moore, also known as “B,” 47, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 4, 2024, law enforcement officers searched Moore’s Huntington apartment and seized approximately 32 grams of crack, 132 grams of fentanyl, and a Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Moore admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Moore further admitted that he possessed the seized firearm.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-19.
###
U.S Attorney Will Thompson Honors Crime Victims and Advocates at Operation Reach Out 2024 Opening CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson presented the 2024 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards today during the Opening Ceremony for the 23rd Annual Operation Reach Out at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse.
Operation Reach Out recognizes crime victims and those who serve them, and is sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and the Operation Reach Out Committee.
The 2024 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards honorees are:
- The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, for its Remote Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Outreach Project. This initiative allows victims in a growing number of counties to file petitions and participate in court hearings remotely, without having to be in the same building as the people from whom they are seeking protection. The entire Supreme Court - Chief Justice Tim Armstead, Justice Elizabeth D. Walker, Justice John A. Hutchison, Justice William R. Wooton and Justice C. Haley Bunn - and project officials attended today’s ceremony to accept the award.
- The Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Lt. S.A. Sommers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, Elizabeth Street of the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Child Protect of Mercer County, and Guardian Ad Litem Michael Magaan for their roles in the successful prosecution of Eric Shawn Phillips, 43, of Princeton. Phillips was sentenced on November 13, 2023, to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered to pay $7,200 in restitution for enticement of a minor.
- Special Agent Brian Morris of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for his role in the successful prosecution of Larry Allen Clay Jr., 58, and Kristen Naylor-Legg, 30, of Gauley Bridge. Naylor Legg was sentenced on August 31, 2023, to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18. Naylor-Legg provided her 17-year-old female relative to Clay so he could engage in sexual intercourse with the minor. At the time, Clay was an employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department. A federal jury convicted Clay on April 28, 2023, of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice. Clay awaits sentencing.
- Mission West Virginia for promoting positive futures by working to ensure every child has a loving family and the knowledge to make positive choices for a healthier future. Mission West Virginia has been a longtime partner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia as it recruits and trains foster families and provide support and services to relatives or kinship families caring for youth.
- YWCA Charleston for its continuing commitment to communities throughout Kanawha, Clay and Boone counties. YWCA Charleston provides crucial services to domestic violence and trafficking victims, such as emergency and transitional housing, counseling and court advocacy. YWCA Charleston is also a longstanding and valued partner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
The ceremony also featured a special Tree of Remembrance, upon which victims and survivors placed signed cards in memory of a loved one or for themselves as a survivor.
“As you look at the tree, we don’t just see pieces of paper. The toughest part of my job and my career, over the last 27 years, has been some of the photographs and videos that I’ve had to see,” said Thompson, a former Boone County Circuit Court judge. “Some of those, I don’t have to carry around in my wallet or anything of that nature. They are forever burned in my brain.”
Operation Reach Out aims to raise awareness of victims’ rights, educate the public about the various organizations that provide services to crime victims, and promote crime prevention and safety.
Operation Reach Out is held in coordination with National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), which is being commemorated this year on April 21-27. The 2024 NCVRW theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.”
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Video of the ceremony is available on the office's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNnPK9Bc00U
###
Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gary Allen Swift Jr., 62, pleaded guilty today to failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about July 1, 2023 through on or about February 6, 2024, Swift failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after he relocated to West Virginia from Iowa.
Swift is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his convictions for first-degree sexual abuse in Nicholas County, West Virginia, Circuit Court on March 18, 1986, and criminal sexual assault in Rock Island, Illinois, Circuit Court on November 20, 2006.
Swift is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-27.
###
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lamar Tyrell Coles, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 23, 2022, a law enforcement officer arrested Coles on an outstanding warrant. Coles advised the officer that he had a firearm in his pocket. The officer recovered a loaded SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol from Coles’ right sweatpants pocket which was zipped closed, concealing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Coles knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for felonious assault on March 31, 2017, burglary on March 17, 2014, and illegal possession of firearm in open air arena on December 12, 2011, all in Columbiana County, Ohio.
Coles is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Francesca C. Rollo is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-96.
###
Braxton County Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas Jason Drake, 48, of Gassaway, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Drake, a lawyer, admitted that he possessed and pawned a Taurus Model G3C 9mm handgun on December 20, 2021, a Winchester Model Grand European XTR .257-caliber rifle on November 22, 2021, and a Colt Model Single Action .45-caliber revolver on December 7, 2021, at Charleston businesses.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Drake knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for embezzlement in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 13, 2012.
Drake is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Gabriel Price and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-64.
###
Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mariah Diane Keffer, 26, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2022, Keffer sold approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Robert C. Byrd Drive residence in Beckley. Keffer admitted to this transaction and further admitted to selling a total of approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant for a total of $900 during separate transactions on December 22, 2022, and January 9, 2023.
On January 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Keffer’s residence. Officers seized 71.5 grams of methamphetamine, 20.5 grams of fentanyl and various amounts of marijuana, oxycodone pills, alprazolam pills, suboxone, diazepam pills and psilocybin mushrooms. Officers also seized a Taurus model G2c 9mm pistol, a Ruger LCP .380-caliber pistol, and $2,011. Keffer admitted that she intended to distribute the seized drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-116.
###
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Anthony Darnell Deberry, 39, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2023, Deberry sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant at Deberry’s residence in Beckley. Deberry admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling fentanyl to the confidential informant on four other occasions within Raleigh County.
On July 5, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Deberry’s residence and found two 9mm handguns, 9mm ammunition, $2,000 and approximately 76.5 grams of fentanyl. Deberry admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl found during the search.
Deberry is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-28.
###
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Derrick Lee Hodge, 35, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2023, Hodge sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Beckley hotel where Hodge was staying. Hodge admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on January 26 and January 31, 2023, in Beckley.
On February 2, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hodge’s Beckley hotel room. Officers seized a small bag containing cocaine, a set of digital scales with purple residue, plastic bags $347 and a Ruger Model EC9S 9mm semi-automatic handgun during the search. Hodge admitted that he was distributing drugs out of the hotel room and possessed the seized firearm.
Hodge is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-139.
###
MEDIA ADVISORY: U.S Attorney Will Thompson to Honor Crime Victims and Advocates at Thursday, April 18, 2024 CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will preside over the Opening Ceremony for the 23rd Annual Operation Reach Out and present this year’s Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston.
Honorees include the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals for its Remote Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Outreach Project. This initiative allows victims in a growing number of counties to file petitions and participate in court hearings remotely, without having to be in the same building as the people from whom they are seeking protection. Law enforcement officers, local and state government officials, and nonprofit service organizations are also among the honorees.
This annual event is held to raise awareness of victims’ rights, educate the public about the various organizations that provide services to crime victims, and promote crime prevention and safety.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and the Operation Reach Out Committee sponsor this ceremony in coordination with National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), which is being commemorated this year on April 21-27. The 2024 NCVRW theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.”
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.
WHAT: 23rd Annual Operation Reach Out Opening Ceremony
WHEN: Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Fifth Floor, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
###