Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Boone County Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Barbara Ferrell, 63, of Seth, pleaded guilty today to theft of government monies. Ferrell admitted that she stole approximately $160,394.02 in veterans and Social Security benefits meant for a family member by abusing her position overseeing those funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from October 20, 2021, through March 11, 2024, Ferrell served as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) appointed fiduciary for the family member. Ferrell also served as the Social Security Administration (SSA) representative payee for the family member from approximately August 2021 to November 2024.
As part of her guilty plea, Ferrell admitted that from April 13, 2022, through February 29, 2024, she knowingly and fraudulently took VA fiduciary benefits meant for the family member totaling approximately $114,660.82. Ferrell further admitted that from June 1, 2022, through July 9, 2024, she knowingly and fraudulently took approximately $45,733.20 in SSA benefits that were for the family member’s benefit. Ferrell stole the benefit funds by periodically withdrawing the money once it had been electronically deposited for the family member in a joint checking account. Ferrell admitted that she spent the funds meant to benefit the family member for her own use and enjoyment.
“Stealing from veterans is a particularly disgraceful form of greed,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “These are men and women who put on our nation’s uniform and sacrificed in service to this country — and the idea that someone would deliberately prey on them for personal profit is disgusting. Our veterans deserve our gratitude and protection, not to be treated as targets. I commend the dedicated investigators of the VA Office of Inspector General for uncovering this fraud and relentlessly pursuing accountability. Together, we will continue to protect those who served and aggressively prosecute anyone who tries to exploit them.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) and the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG).
“Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message that the VA OIG will vigorously investigate those who steal from vulnerable veterans who are unable to manage their financial affairs,” said Special Agent in Charge Nate Landkammer with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “The VA OIG appreciates the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts to stop fraud within VA’s Fiduciary Program.”
“This defendant intentionally exploited a family relationship to steal more than $45,000 in Social Security benefits intended for a relative,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Boston–New York Field-Philadelphia Division. “We remain committed to investigating those who misuse benefits for personal gain and ensuring they are held accountable.”
Ferrell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Ferrell also owes $160,394.02 in restitution.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
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. 2:26-cr-80.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alphonzo Keith Baker, also known as “KD,” 51, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to three counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Baker sold 40 grams or more of fentanyl on October 6, 2025, on November 4, 2025, and on December 2, 2025, each time in the Charleston area. Baker possessed quantities of fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute them on December 4, 2025, in the Charleston area.
Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison for each count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
Baker is among eight individuals indicted following a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. Two defendants pleaded guilty, including Baker. The indictments against the remaining 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 Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which 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 Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:26-cr-45.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marlon Leftwich, 46, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about January 1, 2016, Leftwich persuaded a 5-year-old minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him at his Huntington residence while he recorded the conduct using a cell phone. Leftwich then transferred the video file to a memory card.
Leftwich is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Leftwich must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price 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. 3:25-cr-132.
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Kentucky Man Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Assets of a Labor UnionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Burke, 56, of Greenup, Kentucky, was sentenced today to three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $40,011.46 in restitution for embezzlement of assets of a labor union.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about July 2022 through in or about October 2023, Burke was the financial secretary of a labor organization located in Huntington. Burke admitted that he issued nine unauthorized or altered checks payable to himself and improperly withheld portions of checks payable to the labor organization as cash when he deposited them. Burke also admitted that he diverted six dues checks payable to the labor organization for his personal use. The total amount of money stolen by Burke from the labor organization was $40,011.46.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Department of Labor-Office of Labor-Management Standards.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price 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. 3:26-cr-5.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joseph Moore, 47, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Moore sold a mixture containing approximately 2.9 grams of heroin with the presence of fentanyl at his residence to a confidential informant in exchange for $150. As part of his guilty plea, Moore admitted that he conducted the transaction.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 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. 3:26-cr-21.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Leading Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joshua Willie McCarver, also known as “TJ,” 28, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. McCarver admitted to a leading role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 5, 2025, McCarver sold approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $650 at a Huntington residence. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he conducted the transaction, arranged it beforehand by phone with the confidential informant, and directed the confidential informant to the residence where the transaction took place.
McCarver further admitted that between January 2025 and August 2025, he answered phone calls and text message for himself and co-conspirators from drug buyers whom he directed to different co-conspirators to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl depending on the customers’ prior transactions and location. McCarver also admitted that he received 28 calls during the time period from a confidential informant and completed the sale of drugs to this individual on six occasions in Huntington.
On March 17, 2025, McCarver was traveling in a vehicle from Huntington to Detroit when Ohio law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found $27,951. Ohio law enforcement officers conducted a separate traffic stop on July 9, 2025, of a vehicle in which McCarver was traveling from Huntington to Detroit and seized approximately $23,453 during a subsequent search of the vehicle. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that the cash seized during both traffic stops was proceeds from the distribution of fentanyl.
On September 10, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington address and seized approximately 4.29 kilograms of methamphetamine, 337 grams of fentanyl, a loaded .38-caliber pistol, .38-caliber ammunition, and a digital scale. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he and other individuals involved in the conspiracy jointly possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and fentanyl for money.
McCarver is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted to an aggravating role in the drug trafficking conspiracy for sentencing purposes as an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of criminal activity.
McCarver is among six defendants who pleaded guilty following their indictment on charges alleging they participated in the DTO while it operated from in or about January 2025 to in or about August 2025. The indictment remains pending against three other defendants. 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.
McCarver has a criminal history that includes his prior conviction for distribution of fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 17, 2018.
“This defendant wasn’t a street-level dealer — he was a leader in a drug trafficking organization that flooded Huntington with methamphetamine while profiting from the addiction and misery of others,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Huntington has already endured more than its share of devastation from the opioid epidemic, and this office will aggressively pursue anyone who thinks they can exploit our communities for a paycheck. We will dismantle drug trafficking organizations from the top down, hold their leaders accountable, and work every day to make our neighborhoods safer.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-154.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joe Claude Schleider, 66, of Charleston, was sentenced today to time served and ordered to pay $1,850 in restitution for willful destruction of government property.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston found Schleider guilty following a one-day bench trial on April 14, 2026. Evidence at trial showed that on May 6, 2025, Schleider repeatedly struck an electric card entry scanner outside a U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations facility in Charleston with a long pole-like object, rendering it inoperable. Surveillance video footage showed Schleider approach the card entry scanner and strike it approximately eight times. The entry scanner had to be replaced at a cost of $1,850.
Schleider has a criminal history that dates to 1979 and includes multiple convictions for offenses including assault, battery, battery on a police officer, and disorderly conduct. Schleider was incarcerated for approximately seven months following his arrest on the current offense.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Federal Protective Service and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Joshua Hanks 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. 2:25-cr-173.
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Chemours Agrees to $450M Landmark Settlement Agreement for Releases of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New JerseyRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) announced a multi-state settlement with The Chemours Company under the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Toxic Substance Control Act, and West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act. The settlement covers four Chemours facilities — located in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey — that use or produce PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are synthetic “forever chemicals” used to make products resistant to water, grease, and stains. Chemours also manufactures PFAS for various industrial and military applications, including those where substitutes are not readily available. This is the first comprehensive settlement by the federal government to resolve enforcement claims over pollution by a manufacturer of forever chemicals.
Under the agreement, Chemours will pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations and conduct a multi-year, $90 million program to mitigate PFAS discharges. Chemours will also install PFAS pollution controls for surface water discharges and air emissions at its facility in West Virginia, at an estimated cost of $60 million, supply clean drinking water for more than a decade to communities that surround its facilities in West Virginia and New Jersey at an estimated cost of $280 million, and evaluate options and implement corresponding controls to reduce releases of PFAS and other toxic chemicals from its facility in North Carolina. Combined, the cost of the penalty and injunctive relief programs are estimated to exceed $450 million. The settlement allows Chemours to continue manufacturing PFAS for critical commercial and military applications while preventing future contamination and protecting communities from that contamination.
“This landmark settlement shows the Administration’s commitment to protecting the public from harmful pollution,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Through this commitment, Chemours will better control PFAS at its plants, allowing the company to continue its manufacturing operations while protecting communities in North Carolina, West Virginia, and New Jersey from PFAS exposure. This agreement ensures that the company will manufacture these critical materials in a responsible manner.”
“This first comprehensive federal settlement against a major PFAS manufacturer delivers on the Trump Administration’s promise to make polluters pay and stop PFAS contamination at the source,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By appropriately employing the full suite of existing legal authorities, we can greatly reduce PFAS contamination of water, land, and air and even begin to mitigate past harm. This settlement brings Chemours into compliance with the law and holds it fully accountable.”
“As Attorney General, my office investigated Chemours and took crucial steps needed to reach this settlement and position the state to reach justice for West Virginians — we will continue to ensure that every company complies with our laws,” said West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey. “This settlement is an encouraging first step, but it addresses only one piece of a much larger issue. We remain actively engaged in discussions to reach a comprehensive resolution for the Washington Works facility that protects our citizens and ensures West Virginia's communities have confidence that these issues are being addressed for the long term. We look forward to continuing those discussions and achieving an outcome that serves the best interests of the Mountain State.”
The complaint alleges that three of the facilities that Chemours operates in West Virginia, North Carolina, and New Jersey discharged PFAS into the Ohio River, Cape Fear River, and Delaware River, in violation of permits required by the Clean Water Act and the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act. Also, Chemours was allegedly not complying with legal requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act at all four facilities. These alleged violations continued for over a decade. The facilities were previously owned for many decades by DuPont, and today’s settlement does not resolve DuPont’s liability for forever chemicals.
As a result of the alleged violations, people living around these facilities were exposed to illegal PFAS. PFAS are widely used and found around the world, with scientific studies showing that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
To remedy the alleged violations, the consent decree calls for 14 specified projects to reduce PFAS in wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater from the West Virginia plant, such as treatment systems using granulated activated carbon. And for people drinking water near the plants in West Virginia and New Jersey, Chemours will test the drinking water and provide treated or alternative clean water. Also, Chemours will be required to control releases of the chemical compound GenX — used to aid in making plastics called fluoropolymers — from each facility at an efficiency of at least 99%. Additionally, Chemours will implement controls at its North Carolina facility to mitigate releases of PFAS and other toxics based on recommendations from a third-party engineering firm. These programs will last for 15 years.
Chemours will also implement enhanced Leak Detection and Repair programs to reduce emissions of PFAS. Finally, Chemours must certify compliance with respect to its storage of hazardous waste.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section lodged the consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The consent decree is subject to a public comment period and is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
The EPA investigated the case with assistance from WV DEP. More information on the settlement is available on EPA’s Chemours Settlement Summary – June 2026 webpage.
Senior Counsel Steve O'Rourke and Katherine Abend and Trial Attorneys Sylvia Lam, and Jonah Seligman with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Bailey for the Southern District of West Virginia are handling this matter. Gracie Pendleton is the lead EPA attorney.
U.S. Attorney Moore Capito Announces Fraud Conspiracy Charges Against Sober Living Home Founder and SpouseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito announced criminal charges today alleging Raymond C. Meadows II and his wife Helen Crutcher Meadows conspired to commit wire fraud through their roles at Lifehouse Inc., a nonprofit, long-term, faith-based substance abuse recovery program headquartered in Huntington. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
“As alleged in the criminal complaints, these defendants viewed West Virginia’s addiction crisis not as a tragedy, but as an opportunity,” Capito said. “While families buried loved ones, communities fought to save lives, and taxpayers funded efforts to combat substance abuse, they allegedly exploited the system for personal gain. The damage from conduct like this extends far beyond dollars and cents — it robs communities of resources, undermines recovery efforts, and betrays public trust. We will continue to pursue fraudsters who enrich themselves through the misery of others and hold them fully accountable.”
Capito also announced a $120,000 civil settlement that resolves allegations involving claims submitted by West Virginia Sleep Centers LLC, a Beckley sleep laboratory, to Medicaid and the Veterans Administration Community Health program.
The charges and settlement announced today by Capito are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. Today’s Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
Today’s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The following individuals were charged in the Southern District of West Virginia:
- Raymond “Rocky” Meadows II, 52, of Huntington, West Virginia, was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud [18 U.S.C. § 1349]. As alleged in the complaint, Meadows, was founder and director of Lifehouse, Inc., a non-profit, long-term, faith-based substance abuse recovery program headquartered in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. Lifehouse served as a sober living community and received expense reimbursements through both state and federal government grant programs. Meadows conspired with his wife and another individual to falsify and submit timesheets to a testing laboratory for drug testing work not actually performed. The scheme included Meadows’s wife routinely billing 32 hours of overtime each week for months at a time, as well as billing for hours when she was with him on out-of-state vacations. The laboratory issued payments based on the fraudulent billings and subsequently obtained reimbursement from federal and state healthcare programs. The case is being prosecuted by AUSA Jonathan T. Storage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
- Helen Crutcher Meadows, 49, of Tampa, Florida, was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud [18 U.S.C. § 1349]. As alleged in the complaint, Meadows was the collector supervisor at Lifehouse, Inc., a non-profit, long-term, faith-based substance abuse recovery program headquartered in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. Lifehouse served as a sober living community and received expense reimbursements through both state and federal government grant programs. Meadows was also the wife of Lifehouse founder and director Raymond Meadows. She conspired with her husband and another individual to falsify and submit timesheets to a testing laboratory for drug testing work not actually performed. The scheme consisted of Helen Meadows routinely billing 32 hours of overtime each week for months at a time, as well as billing for hours when she was with her husband, Raymond Meadows, on out-of-state vacations. The laboratory issued payments based on the fraudulent billings and subsequently obtained reimbursement from federal and state healthcare programs. The case is being prosecuted by AUSA Jonathan T. Storage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
The following settlement was announced in the Southern District of West Virginia:
- West Virginia Sleep Centers, LLC, a West Virginia sleep laboratory located in Beckley, West Virginia, reached a civil settlement to pay $120,000 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims for payment to Medicaid and the Veterans Administration Community Health program for sleep studies and polysomnogram reports that were prepared and signed by unqualified, non-physician staff during the period from January 1, 2016 through January 9, 2020. The case was settled by AUSA Gregory P. Neil of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virgina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.
Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The Southern District of West Virginia, in particular, worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Huntington Police Department.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Lewis Cobb, 39, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 1, 2026, Cobb possessed a Polymer80 Inc. 9mm pistol in St. Albans.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Cobb knew he was prohibited from possession a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on February 8. 2017. Cobb was on supervised release for that conviction at the time of his current offense.
Cobb is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-70.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Matthew Robert Hudson, 41, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 23, 2025, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hudson in Huntington. Officers searched the vehicle and seized approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine found in the handbag of Hudson’s passenger. As part of his guilty plea, Hudson admitted that he possessed the seized methamphetamine, asked his passenger to hold the methamphetamine for him, and intended to sell the methamphetamine in exchange for money.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:25-cr-195.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Torriano Arzareus Johnson, 34, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2026, Johnson was a passenger in a vehicle when it was pulled over by law enforcement officers in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted that once the vehicle stopped, he fled from the vehicle with a backpack that he threw over a fence as he ran from officers. Johnson further admitted that officers captured him and found in his pant leg approximately 29 grams of crack in a bag and $3,000 he obtained from selling drugs. Officers executed a search warrant for the backpack and found it contained a loaded Glock 43x 9mm pistol. Johnson admitted that he possessed the firearm to protect himself, the drugs, and the cash.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute crack, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:26-cr-41.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Geon Lavell Henderson, also known as “Money,” 53, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. Henderson admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 9, 2025, Henderson sold approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine and 1.9 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $800. As part of his guilty plea, Henderson admitted that he conducted the transaction, that he arranged it beforehand, and that it took place at his residence.
Henderson further admitted to arranging the sale of approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine for $900 and of approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine for $400 on April 17, 2025. Another individual sold the methamphetamine during both transactions, each time to a confidential informant at a residence in Huntington.
Henderson is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO while it operated from in or about January 2025 to in or about August 2025. Five defendants pleaded guilty, including Henderson. The indictment against the other defendants remains 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 Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Finney and Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-154.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Roger Lee Townson, 57, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a garage behind Townson’s residence. Officers ordered the residence’s occupants, including Townson, to exit the house and asked Townson if there were any firearms inside. Townson told officers he had a firearm in his bedroom and allowed officers to enter the residence to secure it. Officers found a Glock model 43 9mm pistol in the bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction or a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Townson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior convictions for forgery in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 10, 2000, and for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on June 14, 2010.
Townson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-182.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Roderick Tyrone Boyd, 30, of Vandalia, Ohio, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2025, Boyd aided and abetted another individual in the sale of fentanyl and distributed a quantity of fentanyl on April 26, 2025. Both transactions occurred in Cross Lanes, West Virginia.
Boyd has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, burglary, and attempted domestic violence.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. 2:25-cr-165.
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Mercer County Woman Pleads Guilty to $175,731.31 Fraud Scheme Targeting Federal Veterans Health Care BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Karen Shea Radford, 47, of Princeton, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money. Radford admitted to stealing $175,731.31 from a United States Department of Veterans Affairs health care benefits program through a false billing scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from June 29, 2017, through on or about August 14, 2023, Radford executed the fraud scheme while an owner of Healthcare Therapy Services LLC (HCTS), doing business as Medical Massage Therapy in Princeton. Radford submitted false bills to the Civilian Health and Medical Program of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) during the time period for medical services not rendered.
As part of her guilty plea, Radford admitted that HCTS provided massage services to two CHAMPVA beneficiaries once a week between June 29, 2017, and August 14, 2023, but billed the program $83,619.67 for one of these beneficiaries and $81,323.16 for the other by falsely claiming they received massages multiple days per week including weekends. Radford further admitted that she falsely billed CHAMPVA $10,695.29 for a third beneficiary between May 21, 2018, and May 16, 2022, and $93.19 for a fourth beneficiary between October 4, 2017, and October 11, 2017, all for services never performed.
Radford is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Radford also owes $175,731.31 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer D. Gordon is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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. 1:26-cr-55.
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North Carolina Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – – James Terry Lawson Jr., 43, pleaded guilty today to failing to register and update his registration as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) after traveling in interstate commerce and relocating to West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about October 1, 2024, through on or about May 1, 2025, Lawson resided in Vienna, West Virginia, without registering as a sex offender. Lawson was convicted of indecent liberties with children in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Superior Court on December 3, 2003, and is required to register under SORNA.
Lawson has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender on May 27, 2004, September 21, 2009, and July 14, 2017.
Lawson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin 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. 2:26-cr-3.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Kanawha County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Ford, also known as “Jason” and “J,” 44, of Van Buren Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Ford admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ford transported several pounds of methamphetamine to West Virginia from Detroit, Michigan, between June 2024 and April 2025. Ford supplied the methamphetamine to co-conspirator Amanda Marie Mace, who re-distributed it to others including co-conspirators Michael Allen Corkhill and Quanda Kiev Wilborne for further distribution. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine. During one controlled buy, Mace sold a quantity of methamphetamine while Ford sat in a vehicle parked nearby after communicating by phone with Mace during the time leading up to the transaction.
Ford and Mace, also known as “A,” 43, of South Charleston, are among 16 individuals indicted as the result of the federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Nine defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty including Ford, Mace, Corkhill, and Wilbourne. Mace was sentenced on March 9, 2026, to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, each for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Corkhill, also known as “Mike” and “Mike Mike,” 31, of Dunbar, and Wilborne, also known as “Quan” and “Queso,” 30, of Charleston, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Four additional defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against the remaining defendants is 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.
Ford is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:25-cr-78.
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Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes in West Virginia and KansasRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Destiny Fair Weese, 34, of Elkview, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2025, Weese sold 225.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Charleston after obtaining the controlled substance from her supplier. As part of her guilty pleas, Weese admitted that she conducted the transaction and that she also sold 142.4 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at or near St. Albans, West Virginia, on June 24, 2025, after obtaining methamphetamine from her supplier.
On July 29, 2025, Weese traveled to Los Angeles, California, where she rented a car. Later that day, Weese purchased several items including a backpack in Moreno Valley, California. On July 30, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the rental car, in which Weese was a passenger, at or near Ellsworth, Kansas. Officers searched the vehicle and seized 35 bundles of methamphetamine, each weighing approximately 1 pound, with 15 bundles found in the backpack, 10 bundles located in the vehicle’s rear quarter panels, and 10 bundles located in the spare tire well. As part of her guilty pleas, Weese admitted that she and the driver of the rental car possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute 50 grams or more to others.
Weese is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $20 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the West Virginia State Police, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
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. 2:26-cr-1.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Eddie Daivon Morgan, also known as “Gutta,” 45, of Mount Hope, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 30, 2022, law enforcement officers had an active warrant for Morgan’s arrest on a malicious wounding charge when they observed him enter a vehicle in Fayette County. Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and found Morgan laying in the back seat of the vehicle. Officers seized a loaded Glock model 42 .380-caliber pistol and a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol from Morgan’s person.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Morgan knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on January 24, 2013.
Morgan has a criminal history that also includes felony convictions for second-degree manslaughter, attempted second-degree murder, malicious assault, wanton endangerment involving a firearm, and use or presentation of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Morgan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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-92.
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Former National Park Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Masters, 38, of Victor, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or around October 2025 to in or around February 2026, Masters was employed by the National Park Service when he stole approximately $150 from a donation box at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, part of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in Lansing, Fayette County. As part of his guilty plea, Masters admitted that he used his position to access and remove money from the donation box without permission or authority on several occasions, and covered surveillance cameras to avoid detection.
Masters is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. Masters also owes $150 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Park Service.
United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy L. McLaughlin and Erik S. Goes 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. 2:26-cr-60.
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Wood County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christian Gale Biles, 21, of Vienna, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 29, 2024, law enforcement officers intercepted a suspicious package that had been shipped from California through the U.S. Mail and addressed to Biles’ residence in Vienna, West Virginia. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the package and found it contained approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine. Officers resealed the package and conducted a controlled delivery of about 49 grams of methamphetamine. On March 4, 2024, Biles took possession of the package when it was delivered to the Vienna address. Officers arrested Biles later that day during a traffic stop, obtained and executed a search warrant for his residence, and found the package of methamphetamine on the kitchen counter.
As part of his guilty plea, Biles admitted that he knew the package contained methamphetamine in advance of his receiving it, that he took possession of the methamphetamine contained in the package, and that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to another individual.
Investigators determined that Biles previously took possession of a package shipped from California to his address that contained approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph 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. 2:25-cr-164.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Justin Antonio Jones, 40, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to six years and five 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 September 29, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Mingo County, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, officers heard what they believed was the sound of a slide moving on a semi-automatic firearm coming from the area of another vehicle parked nearby. Officers investigated the sound and encountered Jones standing by the other vehicle. Jones ignored officers when they directed him to show his hands and began walking away. Officers saw Jones place an object beneath the passenger side front tire of that vehicle and recovered a Keltec model PF-9 9mm pistol from that spot.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jones knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on October 27, 2008, and on May 22, 2012, both in Mingo County Circuit Court.
Jones has a criminal history that includes four additional felony convictions, also for drug offenses, and was serving a term of probation imposed in Kentucky at the time of his current offense.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:25-cr-191.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Stephen D. Nicholas, 31, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, Nicholas sold a substance containing 20.94 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Oak Hill, West Virginia, in exchange for $1,200. As part of his guilty plea, Nicholas admitted to conducting the transaction. Nicholas further admitted to selling a 27.91-gram mixture of fentanyl and heroin in exchange for $1,200 in Oak Hill on April 29, 2024, 10.87 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $600 in Fayetteville on May 2, 2024, and 10.93 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $600 in Fayetteville on May 7, 2024. All three transactions were with a confidential informant.
Nicholas also admitted that he intended to distribute 24.544 grams of fentanyl and 97.04 grams of cocaine seized by law enforcement while executing a search warrant on May 9, 2024, at a residence Nicholas was associated with in Oak Hill. Officers also seized four firearms, assorted ammunition including three loaded AR-15 magazines, and $2,484 including $600 in prerecorded buy money from the controlled purchases during the search.
Nicholas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-33.
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Illegal Alien from Honduras Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Federal Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Pablo Dominguez, also known as “Pablo Dominguez Dominguez,” 40, a Honduran national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served. Dominguez will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro and encountered Dominguez working there. ICE agents confirmed that Dominguez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States on August 25, 2017, after he was found in Dunbar, West Virginia, on July 18, 2017. Dominguez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Dominguez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
Dominguez is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the January 16, 2026, search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. Four of the other defendants pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and were sentenced to time served with ICE immigration detainers pending.
Restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. The indictments against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., Miguel Angel Aguirre, and the remaining illegal alien defendant 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.
These cases are the result of Operation Country Roads. The operation was conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners. According to ICE, the January 2026 immigration enforcement operation yielded over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-13.
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Repeat Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jacob Thomas Britvec, 34, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to failing to update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, law enforcement officers received information that Britvec was no longer living at the address listed on his sex offender registry. Officers confirmed that Britvec was no longer at the address and obtained a warrant for his arrest. On March 20, 2024, officers arrested Britvec in Maryland. There is no record of Britvec reporting his interstate travel or registering as a sex offender in Maryland as required by SORNA.
Britvec knew he was required to keep his information current as a result of his conviction for third-degree sexual assault on September 19, 2012, and for third-degree sexual assault and soliciting a minor via computer on March 24, 2016, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Britvec is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
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. 2:26-cr-2.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Catra Nelson, also known as “Trey,” 50, of Zanesville, Ohio, was sentenced on Thursday, May 28, 2026, to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least January 2020 to in or around March 2021, Nelson conspired with co-defendant Steven Reger and others to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in the Parkersburg, West Virginia, area. On March 23, 2021, Nelson aided and abetted in the sale of approximately 428.1 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Parkersburg. The Court found Nelson was responsible for over 40 pounds of methamphetamine distributed by him to others.
Nelson has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for trafficking large volumes of cocaine, cocaine base, marijuana, and methamphetamine. A federal grand jury indicted Nelson on the current offenses in October 2022 and he evaded capture on the resulting arrest warrant until May 16, 2024.
“Despite multiple prior convictions, this criminal flooded our streets with more than 40 pounds of this poison and has been a large-scale drug trafficker for over two decades,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “We pursued an appropriately strong penalty in this case, and we will continue to do so to protect our communities from these dangerous drugs.”
Reger, 49, of Morgantown, was sentenced on August 24, 2023, to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe, Joshua Hanks, and Negar M. Kordestani 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. 2:22-cr-196.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Willie Davis McCall III, also known as “Primo” and “Ill Will,” 42, of Warren, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2025, McCall sold approximately 55.53 grams of a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a parked vehicle in Charleston. As part of his guilty plea, McCall admitted that he conducted the transaction, that he was previously convicted of a serious drug offense, distribution of methamphetamine, in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, on July 26, 2017, and that he was sentenced to more than one year in prison for that prior conviction.
McCall further admitted that he distributed or possessed with the intent to distribute between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl from in or about April 2025 through in or about June 2025. The distributions included the sale of approximately 55.40 grams of fentanyl on April 3, 2025, and of approximately 55.57 grams of fentanyl on June 11, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Charleston.
On June 17, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Charleston residence where McCall was living and seized from his bedroom closet approximately 322.16 grams of fentanyl found in six bags and $5,557. McCall admitted that he planned to distribute the seized fentanyl in and around the Southern District of West Virginia, and that the seized cash was drug proceeds.
McCall is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least eight years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $8 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:25-cr-192.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Daemien Thompson, 40, of Oak Hill, was sentenced on Thursday, May 28, 2026, to 12 years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thompson admitted to conspiring with other individuals to obtain methamphetamine and distribute it within the Southern District of West Virginia from on or about November 27, 2022, until on or about December 6, 2023. More than 3.5 pounds of 100 percent pure methamphetamine was distributed as part of the conspiracy.
On November 27, 2022, Thompson and a co-conspirator sold 446 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,600. Thompson admitted to the transaction and further admitted that his co-conspirators sold methamphetamine to the same confidential informant on other occasions, usually in quantities of 1 pound or more, at various locations, including an Oak Hill trailer park. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted to the drug trafficking organization being involved in controlled buys of high-purity methamphetamine on December 5, 2022, December 14, 2022, and February 2, 2023, with a total amount of approximately 2.59 pounds of actual methamphetamine distributed during the transactions.
Thompson is among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy. All four pleaded guilty. Phillip Gray, 42, of Oak Hill, was sentenced on October 15, 2025, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Leondus Whittenburg, 44, of Beckley, was sentenced on August 19, 2025, to seven years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. John Gray, 40, of Oak Hill and Phillip Gray’s brother, was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.
Thompson has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for third-degree sexual assault, delivery of a controlled substance, and unlawful assault.
“This successful prosecution disrupted a ruinous drug trafficking conspiracy and secured convictions and prison terms for all four defendants indicted,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “The sentence imposed on this defendant underscores our commitment to rid our streets of those who endanger them through the trafficking of dangerous drugs.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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. 5:24-cr-31.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Francis Combs, 58, of Cool Ridge, was sentenced today to nine years and two 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 July 30, 2024, Combs sold a Bryco Arms model Jennings J-22 .22-caliber pistol to a confidential informant in Raleigh County. As part of his guilty plea, Combs admitted to conducting the transaction at his residence and after selling a quantity of fentanyl to the confidential informant at a gas station in Ghent.
Combs also admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl and a Jimenez Arms model JA-Nine 9mm pistol to a confidential informant at his residence on August 1, 2024.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Combs knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 26, 2007, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Wyoming County Circuit Court on October 1, 2019.
This is Combs’ fifth firearms-related conviction. At the time of his current offense, Combs was on parole for state burglary and robbery convictions. Combs has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for delivery of methamphetamine and battery.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin and former Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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-188.
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Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to $83,332 COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – McCayla Myers, 27, of Cabin Creek, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting theft of government money. Myers admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $83,332.00 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about April 22, 2021, through on or about May 22, 2021, Myers provided her personal information to another individual to apply for and obtain four PPP loans, each for $20,833.00, through fraud. Two of the loan applications falsely claimed those loans were for an automotive repair business, and the other two falsely claimed those were for a delivery service business.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible essential expenses. As part of her guilty plea, Myers admitted that she knowingly defrauded the PPP program, that she did not own or operate the businesses listed on the loan applications, and that she did not have payroll or other qualifying business expenses at that time. Myers further admitted that she spent the PPP loan proceeds on clothing, firearms, vacations, and other personal expenses while knowing that none of these purchases were eligible expenses.
Myers also admitted that she sought to have one of the $20,833.00 loans forgiven on or about December 16, 2022, by falsely claiming that she had spent $19,000.00 of the proceeds on payroll.
Myers is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Myers also owes $83,332.00 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.
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. 2:26-cr-53.
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Former Boone County Commission Employee Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory Neal Hager, 41, of Madison, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Hager must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 7, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hager’s residence in Madison and seized an external hard drive connected to his desktop computer. A forensic examination of the external hard drive revealed 146 images and six videos of child pornography depicting a pubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. As part of his guilty plea, Hager admitted that the images and videos of child pornography were screen captures from Snapchat conversations between himself and the minor, that he saved the child pornography on the external hard drive, and that he knew the minor was under 18 years old.
At the time Hager’s conversations with the minor victim took place, he was a volunteer firefighter with the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, which the minor victim was interested in joining. Hager was a volunteer firefighter from 2003 until December 2023. From 2020 until his arrest in December 2023, Hager was a systems administrator for the Boone County Commission.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)..
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted 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. 2:25-cr-94.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Emmanuel Covington, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced today to seven years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2025, Covington sold approximately 19.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Covington admitted to the transaction as part of his guilty plea. Covington further admitted to selling a mixture containing methamphetamine and fentanyl on April 16, 2025, a quantity of fentanyl on May 6, 2025, and a mixture containing methamphetamine on June 4, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Charleston.
On June 5, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Covington’s Charleston residence and seized quantities of fentanyl and a mixture containing methamphetamine and a Ruger pistol.
Covington has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, domestic battery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which 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 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. 5:25-cr-110.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Alante Omar Allen, also known as “Suey,” 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three 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 31, 2022, Allen sold approximately 20.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,300 while at a business on U.S. Route 60 in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Allen admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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. 3:25-cr-159.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Demetrius Fitzgerald Green, also known as “D,” 42, of Scott Depot, pleaded guilty today to three counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 18, 2026, February 27, 2026, and March 18, 2026, Green sold quantities of fentanyl exceeding 40 grams during each transaction in Charleston.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
Green is among eight individuals indicted as a result of a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. The indictments against the remaining 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 Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which 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 Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:26-cr-46.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Justin Dale Graves, 43, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Graves’ residence in St. Albans and seized over 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, a loaded Hi-Point model C-9 9mm pistol, a loaded Glock model 19 9mm pistol, 37.69 grams of fentanyl, 17.17 grams of cocaine, 2.29 grams of heroin, two digital scales, various rounds of live ammunition, a drug ledger, and $1,190.
As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted that he possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute it, and possessed the seized firearms to protect himself, his drugs, and his drug proceeds. Graves further admitted that he sold approximately 27.21 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $225 in St. Albans on October 29, 2024, the day before the execution of the search warrant.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10,250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-19.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Anthony Barrett, 46, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Barrett’s South Charleston residence and seized 432.5 grams of methamphetamine, 25.2 grams of cocaine, 11.4 grams of crack, and 13.68 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Barrett admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them to others.
Barrett further admitted that he sold 55.73 grams of methamphetamine on May 8, 2025, and 2.82 grams of fentanyl and 3.34 grams of crack on May 19, 2025, that both transactions occurred at his residence, and that he sold the controlled substances to a confidential informant.
Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Charleston Police Department. 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:25-cr-189.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Richard Mathis, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 3, 2024, Mathis possessed over 90 grams of methamphetamine and over 20 grams of fentanyl in or near Dunbar, West Virginia, that he intended to distribute.
On January 5, 2026, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Mathis was a passenger after he retrieved a package delivered in Charleston that investigators had identified as suspicious. Officers found more than a half-pound of methamphetamine and over 3 ounces of a mixture containing fentanyl in the vehicle. Investigators determined that Mathis had coordinated the shipment of the package from California in exchange for $2,600 and that it had contained 1 pound of methamphetamine, including the quantity found during the traffic stop. Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at the Charleston residence where Mathis was staying and seized nearly an additional pound of methamphetamine and quantities of cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
Mathis has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for unlawful wounding and controlled substances offenses.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department. 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 Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. 2:25-cr-87.
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Kanawha County Woman Sentenced for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Misty Dawn Baisden, 48, of St. Albans, a convicted sex offender, was sentenced today to time served for failing to update her registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about September 17, 2025, through on or about October 30, 2025, Baisden failed to report that she had begun working at a St. Albans business.
Baisden is required to register as a sex offender and keep her information current because of her conviction for conspiracy to engage in the sex trafficking of a minor in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 19, 2017. Baisden remains on supervised release as a result of that conviction.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted 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. 2:26-cr-2.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nicholas Kagen Woodin, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced on Monday, May 18, 2026, to five years and three 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 November 22, 2024, law enforcement officers went to Woodin’s residence to arrest him for alleged violations of his parole. Officers recovered a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol under the pillow of Woodin’s bed in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Putnam County Circuit Court on January 17, 2018, possession of a stolen vehicle in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 6, 2018, and escape from custody in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 13, 2020.
Woodin’s criminal history also includes prior convictions for receiving or transferring stolen goods, grand larceny, assault, domestic battery, stalking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), West Virginia Parole Services, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:25-cr-178.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Theft CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kwanique Martin, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty today to theft of public money, property, or records.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2025, Martin traveled from New York to a business in Summersville, West Virginia, where he cashed a $1,400 United States Treasury check made out to the name of another person. As part of his guilty plea, Martin admitted that the check did not belong to him, that he had no legal authority to possess or cash it, and that he presented a fraudulent passport card with his photograph but matching the name on the check when he cashed it.
Martin further admitted that on March 1, 2025, he fraudulently cashed nine other U.S. Treasury checks at businesses in Morgantown, Grafton, Weston, Buckhannon, Sutton, Clarksburg, and Kingwood, West Virginia and in Oakland, Maryland, and received a total of approximately $14,002.72 from all 10 checks. Martin also admitted that he possessed another $18,286.97 in U.S. Treasury checks that he planned to fraudulently cash, but that he inadvertently left a green bag containing those checks and the $14,002.72 in fraudulent proceeds in a Summersville area motel on March 2, 2025, after spending the night there. The motel contacted law enforcement after finding the green bag in the room where Martin had stayed. Officers arrested Martin when he returned to the motel to retrieve the green bag.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Martin also owes $14,002.72 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Summersville Police Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the assistance provided by the Nicholas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
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. 2:26-cr-47.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Found Living in Kanawha County Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Rufino Hernandez, 26, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and sentenced to time served. Hernandez is subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro and encountered Hernandez working there. Investigators determined that Hernandez used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment at the restaurant from on or about September 17, 2025, to on or about January 16, 2026.
Hernandez is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the January 16, 2026, search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. Restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. Three of the other indicted illegal aliens pleaded guilty, were sentenced to time served, and were subject to removal proceedings. The indictments against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., Miguel Angel Aguirre, and the remaining illegal alien 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.
The January 16, 2026, search warrant was executed as part of Operation Country Roads. The immigration enforcement operation was conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners and resulted in over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:26-cr-15.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ian Wyatt Justice, 24, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 1, 2026, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Justice in Huntington. Officers arrested Justice on an active warrant during the traffic stop and seized approximately 51.13 grams of fentanyl from his person.
As part of his guilty plea, Justice admitted that he possessed the seized fentanyl and intended to distribute it. Justice further admitted that he intended to distribute approximately 15.2 grams of fentanyl and 24.2 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” seized by officers during a December 4, 2025, traffic stop of a vehicle he was driving in Huntington.
Justice is scheduled to be sentenced on August 31, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams 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. 3:26-cr-56.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Desean Lamar Briscoe, 36, also known as “G,” of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and violation of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2025, Briscoe sold approximately 3 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $225 in Huntington. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the substance contained 3 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Briscoe admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Briscoe also admitted that he sold suspected heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $50 in Huntington on March 11, 2025. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the substance contained a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
At the time of the current offense, Briscoe was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 18, 2020. Today’s sentence includes two years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:25-cr-183.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Victor Lynn Jarrett, 74, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for dealing firearms without a license.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between May 2019 and March 2023, Jarrett purchased at least 79 firearms from licensed retailers and sold at least 72 of those firearms to others to make a profit. As part of his guilty plea, Jarrett admitted that he did not buy the firearms for his own personal collection, he did not have the required license when he sold them, and he sold them either from his Charleston residence or at various locations in the Charleston area.
Investigators determined that Jarrett sold firearms at locations including a gas station on the East End, a flea market near Capital High School, and from his truck parked on the side of the road in Kanawha City. Several of the firearms Jarrett purchased were recovered by law enforcement at local crime scenes.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 2:25-cr-162.
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Charleston Man Found Guilty of Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston today found Joe Claude Schleider, 66, of Charleston, guilty of willful destruction of government property following a one-day bench trial conducted earlier.
Evidence at trial showed that on May 6, 2025, Schleider repeatedly struck an electric card entry scanner outside a federal facility in Charleston with a long pole-like metal object, causing approximately $1,800 in damages. Surveillance video footage showed Schleider approach the card entry scanner and strike it approximately eight times.
Schleider is scheduled to be sentenced on July 6, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Federal Protective Service and the Charleston Police Department.
Johnston presided over the bench trial on April 14, 2026. Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Joshua Hanks 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. 2:25-cr-173.
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Statement of United States Attorney Moore Capito on the Death of Senior U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito issued the following statement regarding the passing of Senior U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.:
“Senior U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., was the best of us. His wisdom, his intellect, his compassion, his indefatigable spirit, and his commitment to justice were renowned. He truly embodied the ideal jurist, and what a blessing that his tenure on the bench proved so enduring. My heart goes out to Camille, their sons and family. I join with all West Virginians in mourning his passing while celebrating a lifetime of public service that has seen few peers.”
A copy of this statement is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Deon Dewayne Grundy, 29, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 3, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Grundy was living and seized 86 grams of fentanyl. As part of his plea agreement, Grundy admitted that he intended to distribute the seized fentanyl in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. Grundy further admitted that he sold approximately 5 grams of fentanyl earlier that day to a confidential informant at the Beckley residence in exchange for $300.
Grundy is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
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. 5:26-cr-8.
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Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tabatha Rae Gardner, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years 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 October 31, 2024, Gardner sold approximately 3.47 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a garage behind the residence of Gardner’s grandmother in Huntington. As part of her plea agreement, Gardner admitted to conducting the transaction.
Law enforcement conducted a total of seven controlled buys with Gardner between December 2023 and October 2025, at two residences in Huntington where Gardner lived at the time. Officers executed two search warrants at one of the residences, in March 2025 and October 2025, and seized more than 40 grams of fentanyl, approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base, a quantity of methamphetamine, and nearly $19,000 in drug proceeds.
Gardner’s mother and co-defendant, Tina Marie Dixon, 53, of Huntington, was sentenced on April 13, 2026, to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney 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. 3:25-cr-172.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – John Thompson, 50, of White Oak, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 18, 2024, Thompson oversaw the sale of approximately 205 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,500. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted that he arranged the transaction after meeting with the confidential informant and that co-defendant Sharee Woodson conducted it. Thompson further admitted that he sold quantities of methamphetamine on February 28, 2024, and March 1, 2024, and quantities of fentanyl on March 4, 2024, and March 13, 2024, each time to the confidential informant.
Woodson, 46, of Beckley, was sentenced on March 27, 2026, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief 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. 5:25-cr-116.
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