Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Gould, 48, of Ravenswood, pleaded guilty today to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 18, 2022, Gould possessed a Remington 11-87 12-gauge shotgun at his residence.
Federal law prohibits a prohibited person from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gould was prohibited from possessing a firearm after having been involuntarily committed in Jackson County to a mental health facility on or about July 30, 2019.
Gould is scheduled to be sentenced on January 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-95.
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Roane County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kenneth Alan Paxton II, 58, of Walton, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from September 18, 2018 through August 3, 2022, Paxton regularly sold firearms without a Federal Firearms License. Paxton admitted that he advertised his sale of firearms in a local trading publication and earned approximately $25 in net profits for each transaction. Paxton further admitted that he received and carried out requests for specific firearms from individuals and often sold to individuals who didn’t want to have a firearm in their name. Twelve of the firearms Paxton sold were recovered at crimes scenes. Of those 12 firearms, seven were recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes within 16 days of Paxton purchasing them from businesses with a Federal Firearms License.
Paxton is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-154.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Thomas V. Ratcliff, also known as “Twin,” 31, of South Point, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Ratcliff at a Marcum Terrace residence in Huntington on an outstanding Wayne County Circuit Court arrest warrant. Following the arrest, officers executed a search warrant of the residence and found approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol. Ratliff admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine and intended to sell it for money.
Ratcliff is scheduled to be sentenced January 22, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), 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 Courtney L. Finney 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. 3:23-cr-2.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – TJ Jazz Cremeans, 21, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 15, 2022, Cremeans and Brennon Michael Adkins, 22, broke into Tri-State Pawn and Jewelry in Huntington to steal various electronics from the store’s inventory. Cremeans admitted that he stole a DPMS model AR-15 5.56mm rifle, a Savage Arms model 111 .30-06-caliber rifle, and a Stoeger model M3000 12-gauge shotgun during the breaking and entering.
Adkins pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm on May 1, 2023, and admitted that he possessed the Stoeger model M3000 12-gauge shotgun following the breaking and entering. Adkins awaits sentencing.
Nigel Jamille Coats, 19, of Huntington, was sentenced to nine months in prison on September 25, 2023, after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. Coats admitted that he possessed the DPMS, model AR-15 5.56mm rifle shortly after the breaking and entering and theft was completed.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-213.
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Mingo County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Military Death BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jessica Horton, 53, of Matewan, was sentenced today to four months in prison, four months of home detention, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $181,713.58 in restitution for theft of government money. Horton admitted to stealing United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) survivor’s benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Horton’s great aunt was awarded VA Survivor’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits after the death of her husband in World War II. The great aunt began receiving the monthly benefits on May 1, 1945.
Beginning in or around 1964, the benefits were mailed to the great aunt’s post office box in Matewan. On February 21, 1999, Horton’s great aunt died, and the entitlement to benefits was therefore extinguished. Horton’s mother had access to the post office box. Horton admitted that her great aunt’s name was fraudulently signed on the benefits after the death to allow Horton’s mother to receive the benefits and convert them to her own use.
Horton’s mother fraudulently received the monthly benefits until her death on February 14, 2011. Following her mother’s death, Horton took over the post office box and began signing her great-aunt’s name in order to receive the monthly benefits. Horton admitted that she knew she was not entitled or authorized to sign her great aunt’s name on the benefits.
Horton deposited the benefits in various bank accounts at a Williamson bank where she was an account owner and signatory, and converted the money to her own use. Horton admitted that from around March 2011 until on or around December 31, 2022, she knowingly and willfully took approximately $181,713,58 in VA survivor’s benefits that she was not entitled or authorized to receive. The monthly benefits were terminated by the VA on or around January 12, 2023.
“Month after month for more than a decade, this defendant knowingly and intentionally took money that was intended to aid veterans and their families,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson, the grandson of a World War II veteran. “Fraud of this nature worsens the strain on a vital support system at the expense of those families as well as the American taxpayers and their confidence in our government.”
This case originated from a referral from the Benefits Delivery Protection and Remediation (BDP&R) division of the VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration. Thompson also 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 John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-49.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kelvin Bradley, 49, of Michigan, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 19, 2020, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle on Washington Street in Charleston. Bradley was a passenger in that vehicle, and admitted that he possessed a Colt, .38 Special revolver that was found in the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bradley knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for aggravated stalking in the Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, Michigan, on September 3, 2002.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon, Nowles Heinrich and Negar Kordestani prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-98.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Taylor Womack, 29, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2020, a law enforcement officer responding to a trespassing call at a St. Albans area business encountered Womack walking nearby. Believing Womack matched a description of the suspect, the officer instructed Womack to stop. Womack continued to walk away from the officer and began shoving his hands down his pants. The officer stopped and searched Womack, finding a loaded FEG Model PA-63 9mm firearm inside one of Womack’s pants legs.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Womack knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit delivery of a controlled substance in Wayne County Circuit Court on September 15, 2017, and for daytime burglary by breaking and entering in Kanawha County Circuit Court on October 16, 2014
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-12.
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Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Keara Kilpatrick, 21, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kilpatrick drove co-defendant Joshua Azale Mitchell to and from two Kanawha County businesses where Mitchell broke in and stole firearms. On November 9, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Dunbar business and stole a Diamondback Firearms DB15 5.56 caliber rifle and a Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 .22-caliber rifle. On November 10, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Charleston business and stole a Custom Arms & Accessories LD-15 5.56 caliber rifle and a DPMS Panther Arms A-15 5.56 caliber rifle.
Also on November 9, 2022, Kilpatrick drove Mitchell to and from a third business, where Mitchell tried to break in but was unsuccessful. The store’s security cameras captured video of Kilpatrick driving away in her vehicle with Mitchell. On November 11, 2022, Kilpatrick was driving her vehicle on Washington Street in Charleston when law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop. Kilpatrick fled before crashing her vehicle in a hotel parking lot. Officers recovered three of the four stolen firearms from Kilpatrick's vehicle.
Mitchell, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts on September 13, 2023, and awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Brian Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-28.
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Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brittany King, 34, of East Bank, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. King admitted that she fraudulently obtained $176,118.73 through her employment with a business that cleaned local office space.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, King unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of multiple individuals through the access provided by the cleaning service that employed her. King and a co-defendant then used that personal information to reroute victims’ mail to King’s address in Charleston. Once mail was rerouted, King and the co-defendant would open lines of credit and bank accounts and obtain loans and credit cards.
King admitted to using the unlawfully obtained personal identification information of one victim to submit a fraudulent online Change of Address form to the United States Postal Service as part of her scheme on June 6, 2022. King further admitted that she fraudulently used another victim’s personal identification information to purchase a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu from a Charleston business on September 30, 2022. King and the co-defendant caused a loss of at least $176,118.73 to more than ten victims as a result of their fraudulent schemes.
King is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. King also owes $176,118.73 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Jonathan T. Storage are prosecuting the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson provided substantial assistance.
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-14.
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Kanawha County Straw Purchaser Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Sean Anthony Iacono, 30, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to making false statements in acquisition of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 8, 2021, Iacono purchased a Glock model 23 GEN5 .40-caliber pistol at a Cross Lanes business. Iacono admitted that he falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the buyer of the firearm when he knew he was purchasing it for someone who was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Iacono further admitted to falsely certifying on the ATF Form 4473 that he was the buyer of a Taurus model GX4 9mm pistol when he purchased it at a South Charleston business for someone who was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Iacono is scheduled to be sentenced on January 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. 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. 2:23-cr-66.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Andre Leavell Pardue Jr., 35, of Nitro, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 16, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pardue’s residence. Officers found a bag of fentanyl and cash in a pair of pants in Pardue’s bedroom, a Smith & Wesson model M&P 9 9mm pistol under Pardue’s bed. Officer also found a safe that contained cash, a second bag of fentanyl and a Smith & Wesson model M&P 40 Shield .40-caliber pistol.
Pardue admitted to possessing the fentanyl found in his pants. Pardue further admitted that he intended both to sell and use the fentanyl found in the safe. Pardue also admitted that the cash found in his pants and the safe totaled $3,020 and was proceeds from his fentanyl sales, with a portion of the money intended for his drug supplier.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the invaluable assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and 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. 2:21-cr-124.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Trellae Nellum-Toney, 29, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to four years and six 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 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Nellum-Toney in St. Albans. Nellum-Toney admitted that he got out of his vehicle and threw a Raven Arms model P-25 .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a baggie of suspected heroin to the ground. Officers recovered the firearm and controlled substance.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Nellum-Toney knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 26, 2014.
Nellum-Toney also admitted that he possessed two firearms in a vehicle he was driving on January 24, 2023. Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in the Scott Depot area in Putnam County and found a Taurus model 709 Slim 9mm semi-automatic pistol under the driver’s seat and a Savage model Stevens 320 20-gauge shotgun in the vehicle’s trunk. Nellum-Toney admitted that he now knows the 9mm pistol was reported stolen from a St. Albans residence on September 26, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-34.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Travis Devon Woods, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 6, 2022, law enforcement officers went to Woods’ Livingston Avenue residence in Charleston to speak with him. Before opening his door for the officers, Woods tossed a loaded Sig Sauer, model P250, .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol out a back window of his residence. Officers recovered the firearm. Woods admitted that he possessed the firearm and tossed it out the window because he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woods knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on July 1, 2015, and first-degree robbery in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 19, 2009.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-229.
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Wayne County Sex Offender Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Lee Pinson, 41, of Ceredo, was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pinson admitted to uploading several images and videos of child pornography to his Google Photos account on May 28, 2022, in Ceredo. One of the videos depicts a prepubescent boy and girl engaging in sexual intercourse and sexually explicit conduct.
Pinson further admitted to possessing six images and 332 videos of child pornography on a memory card on August 16, 2022, and to viewing the images using his cell phone. Pinson also admitted that 44 of the images and videos depict known child victims, and that some of the images depict infants and toddlers.
Pinson was previously convicted of possession of child erotica in Wayne County Circuit Court on August 28, 2020.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and 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. 3:22-cr-173.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Jarvis Kennard, 40, of South Point, Ohio, was sentenced today to six years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 12, 2022, Kennard sold approximately 20 grams of fentanyl for $1,000 to a confidential informant at a location on U.S. Route 60 in Huntington. Kennard admitted to that transaction and further admitted to five additional transactions with the confidential informant between July 20 and September 21, 2022. Kennard sold a total of approximately 82 grams of fentanyl, 10 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, and 10 grams of methamphetamine during these transactions.
On September 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington residence where Kennard lived. During the search, officers found approximately 96 grams of fentanyl and 274 grams of methamphetamine in a vacant lot across the road from the residence. Kennard admitted that he hid the controlled substances in the vacant lot and intended to distribute them. Kennard told officers that he had distributed controlled substances “off and on” in the Huntington area for at least the previous three years.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-189.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rodney Lee Browne Jr., 31, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 19, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Fourth Avenue residence in Huntington and seized approximately 1.5 grams of heroin, 68 grams of methamphetamine, 245 grams of marijuana, and 328 grams of fentanyl. Officers also found an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle, drug distribution paraphernalia and $2,075. Browne admitted that he possessed the heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana and intended to sell the controlled substances.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-64.
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Bluefield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Matthew Huffman, 37, of Bluefield, pleaded guilty today to theft or embezzlement in connection to healthcare services. Huffman admitted to stealing more than $45,000 from the Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center while employed as its chief substance use disorder officer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2022 and January 2023, Huffman embezzled money from Southern Highlands including more than $5,000 it received from the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). Southern Highlands is a non-profit medical treatment center that offers a variety of services including addiction treatment. COSSUP grants are distributed, in part, to treat and support those impacted by illicit substance use and misuse.
Huffman admitted that he forged signatures required to approve the use of COSSUP grants and other funds, and also used the names of patients and consumers no longer receiving services from Southern Highlands on the necessary forms. Huffman further admitted that he embezzled these funds for his personal gain, using the money to pay his utility bills, vehicle loan payments and to purchase gift cards and prepaid debit cards.
Huffman is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Huffman also owes $45,258.51 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Owen Reynolds and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-137.
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Greenbrier County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jason Shortridge, 40, of Ronceverte, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession and attempted distribution of child pornography. Shortridge must also register as a sex offender and pay restitution.
A federal jury found Shortridge guilty of both counts on June 10, 2022, following a four-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on May 1, 2019, Shortridge downloaded child pornography and made it available for sharing online using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Shortridge’s residence and seized a computer belonging to Shortridge.
A forensic examination of the computer located hundreds of images of child pornography, primarily from the deleted space of the computer. Two computer forensic experts testified that during their examination of Shortridge’s computer, they recovered child pornography as well as search terms used to actively search for child pornography. Evidence showed that Shortridge possessed over 600 computer graphic image files containing images and videos of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.
“This defendant caused substantial harm, as possessing child pornography encourages and records the sexual exploitation and rape of children,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Today’s sentence reflects the severity of that harm.”
Thompson commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the West Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell, Monica D. Coleman and Francesca C. Rollo prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and 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. 5:21-cr-223.
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POSTPONED: United States Attorney Will Thompson and Law Enforcement to Hold Press Conference in Child Sex Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
***UPDATE: The sentencing hearing for Larry Allen Clay Jr. has been continued. As a result, the press conference has been postponed.***
Initial advisory:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson and law enforcement officials will hold a press conference on Thursday, September 28, 2023, following the sentencing of Larry Allen Clay Jr.
The press conference is contingent upon the completion of the sentencing hearing, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The time of the press conference will be announced once the hearing concludes.
WHAT: Press conference for the sentencing of Larry Allen Clay Jr.
WHEN: Thursday, September 28, 2023. Time TBA.
WHERE: United State’s Attorney’s Office, Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, 300 Virginia Street East, Charleston.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tamir Pratt, 21, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to two years of federal probation and ordered to pay $7,833.99 in restitution for receipt of stolen money. Pratt admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $20,832 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, Pratt applied for a PPP loan for his purported business, “Tamir Pratt,” in April 2021. Pratt admitted that “Tamir Pratt” was not in operation on February 15, 2020, though that was a requirement to qualify for a PPP loan, and he falsely certified that it was. Businesses applying for PPP loans were also required to provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020. Pratt admitted that he submitted a false IRS Form 1040, Schedule C, stating that “Tamir Pratt” had earned approximately $100,000 in gross income in 2020.
Pratt submitted the loan application electronically from West Virginia and it was uploaded to servers in Arizona for processing. Pratt’s loan application was approved and $20,832 was electronically transferred to his personal bank account on April 26, 2021. Pratt admitted that he withdrew $1,700 of the fraudulent loan proceeds in Charleston the same day and spent more than $460 of the proceeds.
The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, offered emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP.
Pratt admitted that he did not spend the fraudulent loan proceeds on any permissible business expenses. Pratt further admitted that the SBA forgave his PPP loan on August 9, 2021. Of the $20,832 transferred to Pratt, $15,748.57 was recovered and returned to the SBA. The restitution amount includes $250.56 in loan interest and a $2,500 PPP fee paid by SBA to the lender that processed and underwrote Pratt’s loan application.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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-38.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Johnte Tyree Warren, 24, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to four 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 March 1, 2022, Warren arranged by phone to sell a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant. Warren admitted to meeting the confidential informant in a vehicle on 20th Street in Huntington on that day as arranged and to selling approximately 12.95 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant. Warren further admitted to distributing additional quantities of fentanyl in the Huntington area at various times including February and March 2022, sometimes utilizing another individual to distribute fentanyl on his behalf.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chamber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-79.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Danny Merriweather, also known as “D,” 36, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 10th Avenue residence where Merriweather was living and seized a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber SPL Airweight revolver and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Merriweather admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Merriweather knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for distribution of a quantity of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 22, 2012.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney 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. 3:22-cr-47.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nigel Jamille Coats, 19, of Huntington, was sentenced today to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 15, 2022, Brennon Michael Adkins, 22, and TJ Jazz Cremeans, 21, both of Huntington, broke into Tri-State Pawn and Jewelry in Huntington to steal various electronics from the store’s inventory. After entering, Cremeans stole three firearms. Coats admitted that he was in a vehicle with Adkins and Cremeans prior to and following their breaking and entering at the business. Coats further admitted that he possessed one of the stolen firearms, a DPMS, model AR-15, 5.56mm rifle, shortly after the breaking and entering and theft was completed.
Cremeans pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee on June 27, 2023. Cremeans admitted that he stole the AR-15 along with a Savage Arms model 111 .30-06-caliber rifle and a Stoeger model M3000 12-gauge shotgun during the breaking and entering. Adkins pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm on May 1, 2023, admitting that he possessed the shotgun following the breaking and entering. Cremeans and Adkins await sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-213.
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Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Quordell Tarver, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 22, 2022, an FCI Beckley staff member conducted a visual search of Tarver and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in Tarver’s underwear. The shank was a piece of metal, approximately 5 inches long, sharpened to a point at one end with a piece of white shoelace wrapped around the base as a handle.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-62.
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Greenbrier County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Raymond Matthew Ramos, 41, of Lewisburg, was sentenced today to six years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29. 2022, Ramos sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Alderson. Ramos admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on July 6, 2022, in Beaver and on July 27, 2022, in Lewisburg.
On July 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence where Ramos was staying. Officers seized a quantity of methamphetamine, scales, packaging material, and over $1,000. The cash included recorded money from the July 27, 2022, drug transaction. Ramos admitted that he possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute it. Ramos also admitted to telling law enforcement officers that he distributed a half-pound of methamphetamine weekly between the third week of April 2022 and July 14, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is composed of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lewisburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. 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. 5:22-cr-228.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Jared Smith, 44, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 16, 2023, law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Smith on the 1000 block of Virginia Street East in Charleston. The vehicle was traveling at night with its headlights off. Smith refused to stop, leading officers on a brief pursuit before crashing at the intersection of Kanawha Boulevard and Brooks Street. While attempting to flee on foot following the crash, Smith tripped and a loaded Glock Model 45 9mm pistol fell from his waistband. Smith grabbed the firearm and threw it under a nearby porch before continuing to flee. Officers recovered the firearm and captured Smith after he again fell to the ground.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Smith knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aiding and abetting robbery affecting interstate commerce on May 13, 2015, and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on November 17, 2000, all in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-111.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Che Dushon Lark, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2020, Lark possessed a quantity of controlled substances containing methamphetamine and heroin that he intended to distribute in Charleston.
Lark is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia State Police. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Parsons and Nowles Heinrich are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-84.
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United States Attorney Will Thompson Celebrates Funding Awarded to West Virginia for Community Responses to Gender-Based ViolenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the original enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department announced today nearly $193 million in formula and discretionary grant awards to support crucial services and justice responses for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including $1,325,997 for West Virginia.
For nearly three decades, VAWA has provided the tools and resources to protect and serve survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. To commemorate the 29th anniversary of VAWA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is proud to announce that the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $1,325,997 to Justice and Community Services, part of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security.
“This office remains steadfast in its commitment to target these crimes and support survivors,” Thompson said. “Because Justice and Community Services acts as the State Administering Agency (SAA) for the grant program, this vital funding will benefit effective programs and services throughout West Virginia.”
VAWA’s signature program is the STOP (Services - Training - Officers - Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program, which awards funds to every U.S. state and territory to promotes a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to ensure the safety of survivors. OVW is awarding $1,325,997 under the STOP Program to West Virginia to enhance the capacity for communities across the country to develop programs to end gender-based violence and hold offenders accountable.
“Prior to the enactment of VAWA, survivors were primarily left to fend for themselves, often cycling in and out of dangerous environments with little help from legal systems or service providers,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said. “VAWA has changed this landscape by supporting a coordinated community response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in a more comprehensive manner. It emphasizes survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches and ensures that services are available across every state and territory.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua Azale Mitchell, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to stealing firearms from two Kanawha County businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 9, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Dunbar business and stole a Diamondback Firearms DB15 5.56 caliber rifle and a Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 .22-caliber rifle. On November 10, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Charleston business and stole a Custom Arms & Accessories LD-15 5.56 caliber rifle and a DPMS Panther Arms A-15 5.56 caliber rifle.
Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Co-defendant Keara Kilpatrick, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts on July 12, 2023. Kilpatrick drove Mitchell to and from the two businesses for each break-in and theft. On November 11, 2022, Kilpatrick was driving on Washington Street in Charleston when law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop of her vehicle. Kilpatrick fled before crashing her vehicle in a hotel parking lot. Officers recovered three of the four stolen firearms from Kilpatrick's vehicle. Kilpatrick awaits sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made today’s announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Brian Parsons are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-28.
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Putnam County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Glock SwitchRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Stephen Simmons, 41, of Nitro, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of an unregistered machinegun.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 3, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Simmons’ 32nd Street residence in Nitro. Officers seized two Glock switches, two drop-in auto sears, six firearm silencers, and more than 40 firearms including a Ruger, model 10/22, .22-caliber rifle that was reported stolen in Boone County.
Glock switches, drop-in auto sears, and firearm silencers are all machineguns as defined by federal law. Glock switches are devices designed solely to convert semiautomatic Glock pistols into fully automatic machineguns. Drop-in auto sears are devices designed solely to convert semiautomatic AR-type firearms into fully automatic machineguns, Firearm silencers are designed to silence, muffle or diminish the report of a portable firearm.
Simmons admitted that he possessed a Glock switch and further admitted that he did not register the Glock switch in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.
The Court also found that Simmons was an unlawful user of controlled substances, and as a result was prohibited from possessing firearms on January 3, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Troy D. Adams and Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-21.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Two More Defendants Plead Guilty to Roles in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr., 29, of San Bernadino, California, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and Keith Royal Goode-Harper, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. Each admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 18, 2023, Gonzalez delivered approximately 196 pounds of methamphetamine and four kilograms of cocaine to an individual in Bluefield, West Virginia, in exchange for a box that he believed contained $400,000. Gonzalez admitted that a co-conspirator in California provided the controlled substances in boxes and a bag that Gonzalez transported in his 2009 Freightliner semi-truck with attached trailer. Gonzalez further admitted he knew the boxes and bag contained a controlled substance but believed it was only cocaine.
Gonzalez communicated by cell phone with the co-conspirator, who directed him to a parking lot in Bluefield. There, Gonzalez gave the bag to another individual and loaded the boxes into the individual’s vehicle. Gonzalez admitted that the individual gave him a box that he believed contained the cash, and that he intended to deliver the money to the co-conspirator upon his return to California.
Gonzalez was driving away from the transaction in his semi-truck when law enforcement pulled him over. Gonzalez notified his co-conspirator by phone during the traffic stop. Officers seized his cell phone and a loaded 9mm pistol that Gonzalez also had in the truck’s cab.
Gonzalez admitted that he previously delivered boxes containing a controlled substance in approximately January 2023 from California to the individual in Bluefield at the direction of the co-conspirator. Gonzalez admitted he received cash for that transaction that he took back to California and gave to the co-conspirator.
On January 25, 2023, Goode-Harper obtained 7 ounces of methamphetamine from a co-defendant at the co-defendant’s residence in Charleston. Goode-Harper admitted that he arranged the purchase with the co-defendant in advance over a series of cell phone calls. Goode-Harper further admitted that he had asked to purchase 10 ounces of methamphetamine for a customer, but that the co-defendant told him that he only had 7 ounces of methamphetamine available.
Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Goode-Harper is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Gonzalez and Goode-Harper are among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.
Twenty-one of the defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-32 (Gonzalez) and 2:23-cr-135 (Goode-Harper).
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Valerie June Damron, 62, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 11, 2022, Damron sold approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Seventh Avenue residence. Damron admitted to that transaction and to selling quantities of methamphetamine totaling approximately 69 grams on three occasions between October 14 and October 19, 2022. Damron further admitted that the quantities of fentanyl were mixed in with the methamphetamine sold in two of those additional transactions.
On October 20, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Damron’s residence and seized approximately 122 grams of methamphetamine, 20.5 grams of fentanyl and multiple firearms including a Davis Industries .22-caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, and a FT 9mm pistol. Damron admitted that she intended to distribute the controlled substances.
On February 2, 2023, investigators arrested Damron at her residence and seized approximately 211 grams of methamphetamine, 3.5 grams of fentanyl and a Kel-Tex .380-caliber pistol. Damron told the investigators that she had been previously supplied with 2 to 3 pounds of methamphetamine on multiple occasions by another individual.
Damron is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s 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. 3:23-cr-19.
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Cabell County Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Firearm PurchaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Haskell Cornell, 44, of Barboursville, pleaded guilty today to making false statements in acquisition of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 14, 2022, Cornell purchased a Century CAHG2797-N 7.62x39mm semi-automatic firearm, also known as a “Micro Draco,” with a high-capacity magazine from a Huntington business. Cornell admitted that he falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the true purchaser of the firearm. Cornell knew he was buying the firearm for two individuals who sent him to the business and provided him with the money for the purchase. Cornell further admitted that the two individuals provided him with controlled substances in exchange for purchasing the firearms.
Cornell bought additional firearms for the two individuals, who sent him into the same Huntington business and provided the money for each purchase. Cornell bought a Ruger-5.7, 5.7x28mm semi-automatic pistol on September 18, 2021, a Glock G21 Gen4 semi-automatic pistol on November 27, 2021, and a Glock G19X 9mm semi-automatic pistol om December 10, 2021, all for the two individuals. Cornell falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 for these purchases that he was the true buyer of the firearms when he knew he was buying them for someone else.
Cornell is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-60.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mark William Bailey, 50, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to theft of government monies, admitting he stole approximately $451,237.51 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 10, 2020, Bailey was the sole owner and president of RMR Delivery Service Inc. when he obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for $150,000. The EIDL program was created by the CARES Act for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds can only be used on certain permissible business expenses, which can include payment of fixed business debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other business-related expenses that could have been paid had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred.
Bailey sought two modifications of his EIDL, increasing the loan amount first to $500,000 and then to $2 million. To obtain each modification, Bailey certified that RMR Delivery Service Inc. would use all loan proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic. Bailey admitted that he fraudulently used approximately $403,768.04 of the EIDL proceeds for his own personal benefit from about March 1, 2022 through about October 20, 2022. Among other personal uses, Bailey purchased a garage and a personal vehicle with the EIDL proceeds.
In or around April 2020, Bailey also applied for and received a $110,032 loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Also created by the CARES Act for qualifying small businesses, PPP loans were for job retention and certain other business expenses. Bailey admitted that he misappropriated $47,469.47 of the PPP loan to pay his personal mortgage on or about June 4, 2020.
Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Bailey also owes $451,237.51 in restitution.
“The CARES Act offered an emergency lifeline amid a devastating pandemic, and Mr. Bailey saw this as an opportunity to enrich himself at the expense of taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the thorough, collaborative and all-hands-on-deck approach by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).”
“NASA OIG is committed to investigating and holding accountable those who improperly obtain and use government loans,” said Special Agent in Charge Adelle Harris of the NASA Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Field Office. “I am proud of the exceptional teamwork of our federal and state law enforcement partners, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Fraud Task Force, and the USAO for the Southern District of West Virginia which resulted in today’s guilty plea.”
“We are committed in our office to protecting taxpayer dollars and holding those accountable who commit fraud,” said West Virginia State Auditor J.B. McCuskey. “The pandemic was challenging for everyone, especially our small businesses, and these loans were to help businesses survive, but unfortunately, we know that some took advantage of the billions of dollars flowing out of Washington. I would like to commend the investigative work by this task force, including our specialized accountants, who are cracking down on this abuse and returning taxpayer dollars to the people.”
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-131.
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West Virginia Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Sending Obscene Matter to a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Darrin Alonzo Miller, 41, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for transfer of obscene material to a minor under the age of 16. Miller must also register as a sex offender.
A federal jury convicted Miller after a one-day trial on June 13, 2023. Evidence at trial proved that on June 22, 2020, Miller sent a letter through the United States mail to a 14-year-old girl while he was an inmate at the Parkersburg Correctional Center. In the letter, Miller described in graphic detail he and the minor female engaging in sexual intercourse upon his release from incarceration.
“Darrin Alonzo Miller engaged in reprehensible conduct, seeking to pressure a minor to have sex with him, and this sentence serves to protect his victim as well as the public,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the West Virginia State Police for investigating this case, and I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Francesca C. Rollo and our trial team for securing the guilty verdict.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and 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. 2:21-cr-261.
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Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Pay Child SupportRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jancent M. Powell, 39, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to failure to pay child support obligations. Powell admitted that he owes over $10,000 in court-ordered child support.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 18, 2013, the Family Court of Wood County, West Virginia, ordered Powell to pay $361 a month in child support for his twin daughters. Powell admitted that made only six of the monthly payments, all in 2014.
Powell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. Powell also owes restitution for the over $10,000 in unpaid child support, which includes interest.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-100.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathon Dewayne Eads, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2022, Eads sold a half-pound of methamphetamine for $1,500 to a confidential informant at a Garrison Avenue residence in Charleston.
Eads is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney J.C. MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-115.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Zackery Dale Jenkins, 30, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2023, Jenkins sold a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in a Beckley residence. Jenkins admitted to that transaction and to selling controlled substances containing fentanyl to the confidential informant on four other occasions in the Beckley area.
On June 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jenkins’ residence and seized additional quantities of fentanyl and several firearms. Jenkins admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl.
Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on December 29, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-90.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Virginia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Tyler Snead, 57, of Waynesboro, Virginia, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, admitting to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in October 2022, Snead transported 1 pound per month from West Virginia to Virginia as part of the conspiracy. On March 14, 2023, Snead traveled from Virginia to St. Albans to obtain 4 pounds of methamphetamine from a co-defendant. Law enforcement officers followed Snead back to a hotel in Cross Lanes, where they searched the trunk of his vehicle, found the methamphetamine and arrested him.
Snead has a criminal history that includes a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia on December 13, 2006.
Snead is among 30 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
Nineteen of the defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department..
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Andre Dewayne Williamson, also known as “A3,” 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for five counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
A federal jury convicted Williamson of the offenses following a three-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that Williamson sold quantities of fentanyl to a confidential informant on five occasions in Charleston between July 5 and July 25, 2022. Williamson possessed a pistol in furtherance of the July 5, 2022, drug transaction.
Williamson has a long criminal history with eight prior convictions including voluntary manslaughter on July 30, 2018, unlawful assault with a firearm and wanton endangerment on February 6, 2008, being a felon in possession of a firearm on March 4, 2013, and on August 6, 2013, and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, cocaine, on September 9, 2018, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Williamson was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Kanawha County Magistrate Court on August 6, 2013. Williamson was on parole at the time of his current offense.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Williamson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions when he chose to arm himself with a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking to protect his controlled substances, his proceeds and himself.
Williamson’s criminal history also includes violent offenses involving firearms. In separate incidents, Williamson fatally shot one individual, shot and wounded another individual in the leg, and shot at a third individual who was killed during that altercation.
“Andre Williamson is a longtime criminal, and has a history of not only violent offenses but also drug-dealing offenses. He was sentenced today for dealing fentanyl, which I think is one of our greatest threats we’re currently dealing with, both in our state and our society,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “This case is the result of excellent investigative work by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Charleston Police Department, with vital assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Joshua Hanks and our trial team for prosecuting the case and securing guilty verdicts on all six counts against Williamson.”
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.
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-154.
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Ohio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –Judy Ann Goodman, 32, of Chesapeake, Ohio, was sentenced today to two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute suboxone and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2022, Goodman conspired with Western Regional Jail inmate Corey Michael Perkins during phone calls to assist the smuggling of a package of suboxone and methamphetamine into the jail. The phone calls were recorded by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Goodman admitted that she helped to pay a woman working at the jail to transport the drugs into the jail. Goodman further admitted that Perkins instructed her on what to do with the package and arranged a meeting between Goodman and the jail worker.
Investigators intercepted the package when the jail worker attempted to deliver it. Goodman admitted that the package contained 126 Suboxone strips and approximately 7.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed that the controlled substances were buprenorphine and 6.8 grams of methamphetamine.
Perkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute suboxone and methamphetamine. The jail worker, Bryanna Danielle Kern, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute suboxone. Both await sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the investigations section of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe, Courtney L. Finney, and Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-220.
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Jackson County Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. Vickie Lynn Parsons, 47, of Ravenswood, pleaded guilty today to four counts of wire fraud. Parsons admitted to a scheme that defrauded an elderly individual in her care of approximately $31,000.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about December 1, 2021, to on or about January 26, 2022, Parsons secretly gained access to the individual’s bank account information to fraudulently conduct numerous online transactions to pay for goods and services for herself and her friends. Parsons used the individual’s bank account to make numerous payments to an electric utility, Parsons’ credit card accounts, her wireless account, and another individual’s department store credit card.
Parsons is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 80 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Parsons also owes at least $31,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Julie M. White 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. 2:23-cr-73.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and Law Enforcement Officials to Announce Successful Conclusion of Major Gun Trafficking ProsecutionRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with law enforcement officials on Friday, September 1, 2023, to announce the final outcome in a case that targeted the illegal trafficking of over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The press conference will follow the final sentencing hearings in the case, scheduled for 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. This media advisory will be updated with the time of the press conference upon the completion of both hearings.
Thompson will be joined by officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and other law enforcement partners.
WHAT: Announcement of the successful conclusion of United States v. Jones et al (5:22-cr-46).
WHERE: The Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building, 110 North Heber Street, Beckley.
WHEN: Friday, September 1, 2023. Time TBA.
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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Ringleader and Key Co-Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Leading Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for leading a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from southern West Virginia to Philadelphia. Shyheem Woodard-Smith, also known as “Peanut” and “Nut,” 23, of Philadelphia, was also sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his key role in the gun trafficking conspiracy.
A federal jury found Jones guilty after evidence at trial proved he oversaw a conspiracy that recruited straw purchasers in the Beckley area to buy firearms that Jones and his co-conspirators took back to Philadelphia to sell for profit. Jones was convicted of interstate travel with the intent to deal in firearms without a license, conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to deal in firearms without a license and conspiracy to commit money laundering on December 16, 2022, after five days of trial.
From in and around June 2020 to in and around July 2021, Jones and his co-conspirators trafficked over 140 firearms. Over 50 of the firearms were recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and were connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
“Bisheem Jones brought deadly and tragic results to the streets of Philadelphia and elsewhere,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Today’s sentence reflects the harm Jones caused and offers a warning to others who seek to traffic in firearms illegally and bring violence to our communities.”
Jones selected the firearms the straw purchasers bought and provided the money to purchase them. Jones also paid the straw purchasers with money or drugs to buy the firearms. The straw purchasers falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were purchasing them for Jones and his interstate gun trafficking conspiracy.
“ATF’s mission is to protect the public by keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division, which includes West Virginia. “One of the ways we accomplish our mission is by identifying the sources of crime guns and taking swift action before those firearms can be used to cause harm. This case demonstrates how criminals illegally acquire firearms, and how ATF and our law enforcement partners work together to disrupt these networks. I commend the investigative team and the United States Attorney’s Office for their diligent work and for their commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
The federal money laundering statutes Jones violated served to significantly increase his federal prison sentence. This investigation is unique in that agents were able to identify financial transactions that promoted Jones’ firearms trafficking enterprise and violated federal money laundering statutes. In particular, from approximately June 2020 to approximately July 2021, Jones used peer-to-peer payment apps to transfer money to various individuals in Philadelphia and Beckley. Those funds were ultimately used to purchase firearms in the Southern District of West Virginia. The firearms were then transported from Beckley to Philadelphia, where they were sold for a profit. That money was used to purchase more firearms in the Beckley area. Jones used his bank account to pay the straw purchasers and deposit proceeds from selling the firearms in Philadelphia.
“The investigative prowess of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners disrupted the financial flow of funds supporting illegal firearms trafficking,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Washington, D.C. Field Office. “IRS-CI is committed to the dismantling of criminal networks that pose a threat to public safety.”
Woodard-Smith played an instrumental role in the firearm trafficking conspiracy, traveling from Philadelphia to Beckley with Jones to oversee the purchase of firearms at Beckley-area stores. Woodard-Smith also encouraged his fellow traffickers to obliterate the serial numbers of the firearms before putting them on the street.
Woodard-Smith pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Woodard-Smith is among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the firearms trafficking. Jones and Woodard-Smith are the final defendants to be sentenced. Other convicted defendants include:
- Denise Johnson, 26, of Beckley, sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license;
- Donte Webster, 23, of Beckley, sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for making false statements in acquisition of firearms;
- Derrick Woodard, also known as “D,” 27, of Philadelphia, sentenced to two years in prison for interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license;
- Terri Lawhorn, 29, Fayetteville, sentenced to two years in prison for making false statements in acquisition of firearms;
- Hassan Abdullah, also known as “San,” 28, of Philadelphia, sentenced to one year and six months in prison for interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license;
- Maurice Johnson, 37, of Mount Hope, sentenced to one year in prison for interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license; making false statements in acquisition of firearms; and
- Brandon Lawson, 33, Oak Hill, sentenced to nine months in prison for transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences.
Thompson commended the excellent investigative work by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Philadelphia Police Department. Thompson also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew and the office’s trial team.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Iglesias McEntyre, 35, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 14, 2022, McEntyre failed to clear a metal detector after numerous attempts. An FCI Beckley staff member conducted a visual search of McEntyre and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in McEntyre’s underwear. The shank was a piece of metal approximately 5 3/4 inches long, sharpened to a point, with a toothbrush for a handle and thread wrapped around the handle to secure it. McEntyre admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-50.
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Former Raleigh County Housing Director Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Laquenta Lowe, 46, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $8,954.76 in restitution for conversion of public money exceeding $1,000. Lowe admitted to stealing at least $7,978.91 in federal funds while employed by the Raleigh County Housing Authority (RCHA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lowe was chief financial officer and accountant for the RCHA from July 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019. Lowe was executive director of the RCHA from June 1, 2019, through April 30, 2021. During this time, RCHA administered programs that used federal funds including the Section 8 income-based rent subsidy program. RCHA kept the federal funds it received from the United States Department and Urban Development (HUD) in RCHA’s primary operating account at a West Virginia bank.
Lowe used her positions at RCHA to steal at least $7,978.91 in federal funds that HUD had disbursed to RCHA and knowingly converted the funds to her personal use and without authorization. Lowe admitted to receiving at least $6,728.82 of that amount in overtime compensation that she should not have received. Lowe further admitted to receiving at least $660.68 in travel-related expenses reimbursements that she should not have received for RCHA-related travel. Lowe also admitted to using a RCHA credit card issued to her to purchase a $199.99 smart watch for her personal use and without authorization.
“Laquenta Lowe abused a position of trust and stole from a program that provides critical services to some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Our office is committed to prosecuting fraud of this nature to the fullest extent possible.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
"HUD OIG is committed to protecting the integrity of federal housing programs and bringing justice to those who abuse HUD programs for personal gain," said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable bad actors and protect the programs that HUD beneficiaries rely on."
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Kristin Scott prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-7.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Key Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Justin Allen Bowen, 41, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven 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, from in or about August 2022 to in or about December 2022, Bowen conspired with others to distribute quantities of methamphetamine throughout Kanawha County. Bowen was responsible for selling or possessing with intent to sell nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine during the course of the conspiracy. Bowen would receive several pounds of methamphetamine at a time from his supplier, and distribute it to several of his customers.
On December 5, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at locations where Bowen had delivered methamphetamine the night before and seized a total of approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine found in three locations. Some of this methamphetamine was located in a safe within his bedroom, along with several firearms and more than $70,000 in cash.
Bowen is among 30 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
Nineteen of the defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department..
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Fayette County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kristen Naylor-Legg, 30, of Gauley Bridge, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18. Naylor-Legg must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on two separate occasions in June 2020, Naylor-Legg provided her 17-year-old female relative to Larry Allen Clay Jr., so he could engage in sexual intercourse with the minor. At the time, Clay was an employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department. Naylor-Legg admitted that on the first occasion she was paid $100 by Clay. On the second occasion, Naylor-Legg indicated that Clay had agreed to pay her $50 in exchange for sexual intercourse with the minor but ultimately did not give her the money.
After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Clay, 57, of Fayetteville, of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice. Evidence at trial proved that Clay twice arranged with Naylor-Legg to have sexual intercourse with the minor, sought to persuade Naylor-Legg to lie to law enforcement about the incidents, and also asked a law enforcement officer if his criminal conduct could be covered up.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case.
Members of the public are urged to report suspected instances of child sex trafficking through a toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or online at www.ice.gov/tips.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and 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. 2:21-cr-62.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Anthony Thomas, 47, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. Thomas must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about June 1, 2020, through about August 23, 2022, Thomas made over 105,000 digital media files of child pornography available to others by using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Thomas admitted that he knew the digital media files contained child pornography and would be downloaded by others. Thomas further admitted that the digital media files included a video file of a prepubescent female engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
On August 23, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thomas’ residence and seized electronic devices including a computer and an external hard drive. Thomas told the officers that he worked as a custodian at a local elementary school. Thomas has since been terminated from that position. Thomas also told officers that he routinely ran a scrubbing program on his electronic devices to delete their data, and provided the search terms he used to find sexually explicit images of minor females.
A forensic analysis of the electronic devices revealed over 37,000 digital media files of child pornography. Thomas admitted that many of these images and videos depict prepubescent minors, including infants and toddlers. Thomas further admitted that several of the images and videos depict known child victims.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Joshua Hanks 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. 2:23-cr-70.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory Alan Haston II, 39, of Scott Depot, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 2, 2023, Haston was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by a law enforcement officer in the St. Albans area. During a search of the vehicle, the officer seized a bag that he found on the floor near Haston’s feet. Haston admitted that the bag contained approximately 76 grams of fentanyl, which he possessed with the intent to distribute.
Haston is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-136.
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