Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Zachary Scott Whitmore, 32, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and violating his supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2022, Whitmore sold 7 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant near 25th Street in Huntington for $700. Whitmore also admitted to arranging the sale of 7 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant at a 9th Avenue residence in Huntington on October 24, 2022.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substances from both transactions was fentanyl.
At the time of this offense, Whitmore was serving a term of federal supervised release after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 12, 2019. Today’s prison sentence includes two years for committing a crime while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney 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 Nos. 3:23-cr-1 and 3:19-cr-137.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Adam Bartram, 31, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Bartram in Huntington. Officers searched Bartram’s vehicle and arrested him. Bartram admitted that when he was taken to the Huntington Police Department, a bag containing approximately 172 grams of methamphetamine fell out of his shorts as he got out of the police cruiser.
Officers later searched Bartram in a holding cell and found approximately 10.4 grams of fentanyl hidden in his person. Bartram admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine and the fentanyl.
Bartram is scheduled to be sentenced on October 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 Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-86.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Sylvester Roosevelt McNeil, also known as “Juan,” 50, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 2022, McNeil sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a location on Nickel Plate Road in Huntington.
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.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF 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. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-165.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kentrell Dupri McKenzie, 22, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2022, McKenzie was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by a law enforcement officer on Interstate 77 in Jackson County. The officer detected the odor of marijuana, prompting a search of the vehicle. Officers found approximately 373 grams of methamphetamine in a sealed bag hidden inside the gear shift area. McKenzie admitted to possessing the methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Ripley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Ryan A. Keefe 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-30.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nicole Leigh Fierbaugh, 44, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Fierbaugh admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2022 and March 22, 2023, Fierbaugh conspired with other individuals to sell quantities of methamphetamine. Fierbaugh admitted to collecting money from customers and using that money to purchase methamphetamine from a co-defendant. Fierbaugh further admitted to delivering methamphetamine to the customers while usually keeping some of the methamphetamine she purchased with their money for her personal use.
On January 30, 2023, Fierbaugh arranged by phone to purchase methamphetamine from a co-defendant, who directed her to a woman who lived at his Charleston residence. Fierbaugh admitted to providing the woman with $160 in exchange for approximately 10.5 grams of methamphetamine.
Fierbaugh is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2, 2023, 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.
Fierbaugh 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 has 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.
More than a dozen 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 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 No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Federal Jury Convicts Huntington Man of Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Thomas Ray III, 54, of Huntington, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence at trial showed that on October 23, 2020, Ray possessed a firearm that he discharged at law enforcement officers after they responded to a domestic disturbance call in the area of 17th Street and Artisan Avenue in Huntington.
The first officer to respond to the call encountered a woman who advised the officer that she and her daughter had been in an altercation with a man who had approached them on the sidewalk. The woman said the man pulled out a firearm, pointed it at her and threatened to use it on her. The woman said the man then fired two rounds in the air and fled south on 17th Street.
Officers observed and then encountered Ray, who matched the description provided by the woman, in an alley between 10th and 11th Avenues. Ray pointed a firearm at the officers and fired one shot. Ray continued to flee and fired several more shots at officers before they returned fire and he fell to the ground. Ray was still holding the firearm while on the ground and resisted being placed into custody. Officers recovered the firearm, a loaded Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber pistol, after Ray threw it away from his body. Officers also found a Harrington and Richardson revolver in Ray’s back right pants pocket.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Ray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for Forcible Detention/Armed and Give False Bomb/Gas Alarm in Will County, Illinois, Circuit Court on February 28, 2012, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 9, 2013.
Ray is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
“My office is working in partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement to reduce violent crime and hold dangerous offenders accountable,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the work of the Huntington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor, and the entire trial team for securing this guilty verdict.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial.
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. 3:21-cr-57.
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Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Keara Kilpatrick, 21, of Charleston, pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing firearms from two Kanawha County businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 9, 2022, Kilpatrick drove a co-defendant to a business in Dunbar 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, Kilpatrick drove her co-defendant to 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. Kilpatrick admitted to law enforcement that she stole the firearms. Three of the four stolen firearms have been recovered by law enforcement.
Kilpatrick is scheduled to be sentenced on October 4, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 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), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan 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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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Two More Kanawha County Men Plead Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today John Paul Loudermilk, 60, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and Ryan Keith Kincaid, 46, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Loudermilk and Kincaid each admitted to their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between January and March 2023, Loudermilk conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine by helping a co-defendant distribute methamphetamine to other customers. Loudermilk sometimes received fentanyl from the co-defendant in exchange for doing this.
Loudermilk admitted to usually meeting with the co-defendant in the Charleston area to obtain methamphetamine and fentanyl. Loudermilk further admitted to receiving between one-half ounce and 1 ounce of methamphetamine at a time from the co-defendant along with 1 gram of fentanyl, delivering the methamphetamine to customers, and collecting money from customers in exchange.
In March 2023, Kincaid conspired with other individuals to distribute quantities of cocaine in the Charleston area. During a search of Kincaid’s apartment, approximately 11 ounces of cocaine, used drug packaging consistent with approximately 26 kilograms of cocaine, a loaded pistol, and over $400,000 in cash were seized.
Loudermilk is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2023, 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. Kincaid is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Loudermilk and Kincaid are 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 has 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.
More than a dozen 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 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 No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shawn David White, 41, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2018, law enforcement officers visited White’s residence while investigating a firearm theft and found a Winchester Model 12, 12-gauge shotgun, in White’s bedroom. White admitted to the officers that he possessed the shotgun.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. White is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for grand larceny and driving while his license was suspended or revoked for DUI-third offense in Wood County Circuit Court on February 10, 2017.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-150.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Two Kanawha County Men Plead Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Allen Roberts Jr., 40, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, and Les Van Bumpus, 34, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Roberts and Bumpus each admitted to their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 2022 and March 15, 2023, Roberts conspired with other individuals to distribute quantities of methamphetamine. Roberts admitted to purchasing methamphetamine from a co-defendant who often fronted the methamphetamine to him and allowed Roberts to pay him back after he sold it. Roberts further admitted that he typically paid $2,000 for a pound of methamphetamine, and used his cell phone to arrange transactions with the co-defendant.
Roberts admitted that this co-defendant delivered 50 pounds of methamphetamine to Roberts’ residence a couple of weeks prior to March 15, 2023. Roberts further admitted that he intended to sell this methamphetamine to other people.
On March 15, 2023, law enforcement officers searched a property on Smith Street in St. Albans and seized approximately 44 pounds of methamphetamine. Roberts admitted that he had placed the methamphetamine at the property a day or two before the search.
Between December 2022 and March 22, 2023, Bumpus was living in Dunbar and conspired with others to distribute what he believed was heroin but now knows was fentanyl. Bumpus admitted to purchasing fentanyl from a co-defendant who often fronted the fentanyl to him and allowed Bumpus to pay him back after he sold it.
On March 22, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bumpus’ Dunbar residence and found approximately 89 grams of fentanyl and a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Bumpus is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Roberts and Bumpus are 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 has seized of well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
More than a dozen 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 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 No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Trellae Nellum-Toney, 29, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on 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 onto 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 further admitted to possessing two firearms found by officers following a January 24, 2023 traffic stop of a vehicle he was driving in the Scott Depot area of Putnam County. Officers 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.
Nellum-Toney is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Troy 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-34.
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Federal Jury Convicts Charleston Man of Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Samuel Pierre Joseph, 40, of Charleston, today of one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Joseph was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession of marijuana, fourth offense, in the Second Judicial District Court for the Parish of Bienville, Louisiana, on April 14, 2015.
Evidence at trial proved that on December 27, 2021, law enforcement officers encountered Joseph as he left his room at the Knights Inn on MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston. Joseph dropped a black duffel bag he was carrying and attempted to flee. Officers apprehended Joseph and found approximately 267 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and two firearms, a Smith & Wesson Model Bodyguard .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Ruger model LC9s 9mm semi-automatic pistol, in the duffel bag. Officers also found $1,355 on Joseph’s person.
On March 17, 2022, Joseph was a passenger of a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in a Dudley Avenue parking lot in Parkersburg. During the traffic stop, officers found approximately 152 grams of methamphetamine and 12.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin on Joseph’s person. Officers arrested Joseph and took him to the Parkersburg Police Department. While at the police department, Joseph attempted to dispose of a business card from a Charleston storage unit rental facility that included the number of a storage unit that Joseph rented at the facility. Officers recovered the card and obtained a search warrant for the rented storage unit. Officers found approximately 896.8 grams of methamphetamine and 83.6 grams of fentanyl in the rented storage unit when they executed the search warrant.
“I commend the law enforcement agencies that investigated this case as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy Wolfe and Troy Adams,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I credit the work of the entire trial team for securing guilty verdicts against the defendant on all five counts.”
Joseph is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-93.
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Two Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Daniel Walker Jr., also known as “Jetty,” 38, of Columbus, Ohio, and Jordan Lee Jobe, 29, of Leon, West Virginia, each pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about April 2022 to about September 25, 2022, Walker and Jobe participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Leon area of Mason County. Walker admitted to selling heroin to customers directly and distributing quantities of heroin to other individuals for them to sell at his direction. Jobe admitted to distributing heroin for Walker and transporting Walker to obtain heroin.
On September 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 64 in Hurricane of a vehicle driven by Jobe in which Walker was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 105 grams of suspected heroin and a firearm. Walker and Jobe each admitted to intending to sell the heroin.
Following the traffic stop, officers executed a search warrant that same day at a Barboursville motel room where Walker and Jobe were staying. Officer seized approximately 204 grams of suspected heroin, two firearms and $1,000 during that search. Walker and Jobe each admitted to intending to sell the heroin, and further admitted that the cash was proceeds from previous drug sales.
On March 31, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at a Durham Road residence in Leon, where they arrested Walker and Jobe. Officers seized approximately 135 grams of suspected heroin found at the residence and $2,000 on Walker’s person. Walker and Jobe each admitted to intending to sell the heroin. Walker further admitted that the cash was proceeds from previous drug deals.
Walker and Jobe are scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 2023, and each 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 West Virginia State Police and the Drug and Violent Crime Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-40.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Willie Renard Craft, also known as “Nut,” 47, of Pontiac, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 16, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Craft’s Seventh Avenue residence. Craft told the officers there was a controlled substance in the kitchen cabinet. Officers found approximately 74 grams of fentanyl and drug packaging materials in the cabinet. Officers also found a loaded Taurus 856 .38-caliber revolver on a shelf in Craft’s bedroom, and $1,800 in Craft’s possession. Craft admitted to possessing and intending to distribute the fentanyl, and further admitted that the cash was proceeds from selling fentanyl.
Craft is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 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 Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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-43.
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McDowell County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Myron Dwayne Brown, also known as “Mylo,” 44, of Welch, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 22, 2022, Brown sold a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Havaco residence in McDowell County. Brown admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling controlled substances at the Havaco residence on December 29, 2021, and February 28, 2022. Brown was aided and abetted by another individual during the December 29, 2021, transaction and the controlled substance sold was confirmed by the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory to contain butonitazene, a federal Schedule I controlled substance.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 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 Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-35.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Benjamin Jack Reed, 42, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2022, Reed and Jermaine Lee Smith, 34, of Columbus, Ohio, sold approximately 27 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a Huntington parking lot.
Smith pleaded guilty on July 6, 2023, to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. 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-211.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Chase Higgins, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 21, 2023, Higgins told an FCI Beckley staff member during a search of his person that he had a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his pants. The staff member found the shank in a leg of Higgins’ pants. The shank was a piece of plastic about six inches long, with one end sharpened to a point. Higgins admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
Higgins is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 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 Federal Bureau of Prisons.
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-71.
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Operation Smoke & Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Wayne Legg, 56, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Legg 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, Legg admitted to obtaining quantities of methamphetamine from co-defendant Justin Allen Bowen over several months prior to December 5, 2022. Legg further admitted to selling the methamphetamine with co-defendant Kimberly Dawn Legg out of their Lotus Drive residence in Charleston. Larry Wayne Legg would typically weigh the methamphetamine for individual sales and Kimberly Dawn Legg would handle the money. The two shared a cell phone to arrange obtaining additional quantities of methamphetamine from Bowen.
On December 5, 2022, law enforcement officers searched the Lotus Drive residence and found approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine. Larry Wayne Legg admitted to receiving the methamphetamine from Bowen and further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine with Kimberly Dawn Legg.
Bowen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on February 23, 2023. Kimberly Dawn Legg pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. They are 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 has seized of well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
More than a dozen 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-4.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jermaine Lee Smith, 34, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2022, Smith and Benjamin Jack Reed, 42, of Huntington, sold approximately 27 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a Huntington parking lot.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Reed pleaded guilty on February 13, 2023, to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl. Reed is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-211.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kenneth Dale Walker, 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 22, 2020, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Walker in Guyandotte. Walker was wearing an empty holster on his hip. Walker told the officer there was a firearm under his seat. The officer recovered a Taurus, G2cm 9mm pistol under the seat. Walker admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Walker knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Cabell County Circuit Court on September 3, 2010.
Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2023, 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 West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-113.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Norman Pannell, 43, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Pannell 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, from about December 2022 to around March 2023, Pannell conspired with other individuals to distribute quantities of cocaine in the Charleston area. Pannell regularly obtained cocaine from a co-conspirator, sometimes multiple times per day, and would typically obtain one-half to 1 ounce of cocaine at a time. Pannell often had a third-party customer waiting to purchase the cocaine before he obtained it.
On March 20, 2023, law enforcement officers watched Pannell meet with his co-conspirator to obtain cocaine. Shortly after the meeting, officers conducted a traffic stop of Pannell’s vehicle and found approximately 1 ounce of cocaine in his possession.
Pannell is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Pannell 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 has seized of well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
A dozen 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 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 No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – TJ Jazz Cremeans, 21, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to 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 three firearms during the breaking and entering: 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.
Cremeans is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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 is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2023.
Nigel Jamille Coats, 19, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm on June 20, 2023, and admitted that he possessed the DPMS, model AR-15 5.56mm rifle shortly after the breaking and entering and theft was completed. Coats is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25, 2023.
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 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. 3:22-cr-202.
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Wayne County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Lee Pinson, 41, of Ceredo, pleaded guilty today to 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 is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Pinson is a registered sex offender as a result of his conviction for possession of child erotica in Wayne County Circuit Court on August 20, 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting 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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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Declaration in Bankruptcy CaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – William Howard Gregory, 73, of Scott Depot, pleaded guilty today to knowingly and fraudulently making a false declaration in a bankruptcy case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 1, 2018, Gregory filed false documents in his bankruptcy case that failed to disclose the existence of five life insurance policies with the collective surrender value of approximately $235,000. Gregory admitted that he knew he was required to disclose the existence of his policies and chose not to disclose them.
Gregory is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The U.S. Trustee’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Department of Justice that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:23-cr-95.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Latesha Lashae Nappier, 29, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Nappier admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nappier admitted to conspiring with others to distribute quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl between November 2022 and March 22, 2023. Nappier lived with one of her co-defendants in Charleston during that time. Nappier admitted that this co-defendant had her sell the controlled substances to individuals while he was at work and collect the payments from the sales. Nappier would later give the money to this co-defendant.
On January 30, 2023, Nappier’s co-defendant directed her by phone to sell methamphetamine to a female customer. Nappier admitted to selling approximately 10.5 grams of methamphetamine to the customer as instructed at her residence in exchange for $160.
Nappier is scheduled to be sentenced on October 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Nappier 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 has seized of well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
Ten other co-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 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 No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Jarvis Kennard, 39, of South Point, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to 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.
Kennard is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 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 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 Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting 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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Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anthony Ryan Webb, 42, of Logan County, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Webb admitted to distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on May 3, 2021, in Ethel. At the time, Webb was an employee with the United States Postal Service. As a result of his job duties, Webb had access to packages that had been placed in the United States Mail and was responsible for sorting out packages that had been damaged in transit. Webb admitted that he stole approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine from a package which he then sold to the confidential informant.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the West Virginia State Police.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-123.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Lorenzo B. Herbert, 33, of Beckley, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and Rory Divaughn Spells, 35, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence near Beckley. Officers found quantities of fentanyl, a substance containing methamphetamine and $8,245. Herbert and Spells each admitted that they were mixing and preparing fentanyl for distribution in the residence’s kitchen at the time the search warrant was executed. Herbert and Spells further admitted the cash represented proceeds of previous drug trafficking activity.
Herbert is scheduled to be sentenced on October 19, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine. Spells is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
The guilty pleas are the result of a drug trafficking investigation dubbed Southside Take Down. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), FBI Chicago, and the Chicago Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the cases.
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. 5:22-cr-193 and 5:23-cr-72.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jamal Johnson, 32, of Beckley, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 20, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence and found approximately 832 grams of heroin, 178 grams of methamphetamine, and three firearms: a Colt, model Army Special, .38-caliber revolver; an Eagle Arms, model Eagle-15, multi-caliber rifle; and a Romarm/Cugir, model WASR-10, 7.62-caliber rifle.
Johnson admitted to possessing and intending to sell the heroin and methamphetamine, and to possessing the firearms.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Alex Hamner 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-13.
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Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Allen Loudermilk, 63, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Loudermilk 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, between January and March 2023, Loudermilk was living in the Charleston area and obtaining methamphetamine from a local supplier. Loudermilk’s supplier knew that he was re-distributing at least a portion of the methamphetamine. Loudermilk typically would receive one-half ounce of methamphetamine at a time, but sometimes he would obtain more. Loudermilk admitted that he was responsible for between 200 and 350 grams of methamphetamine in connection with the conspiracy.
Loudermilk is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Loudermilk 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 has seized of well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash.
Nine other co-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 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 No. 2:23-cr-31.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Scott Phalen, 63, of Charleston, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 15, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a report from an employee at a restaurant in the Kanawha City section of Charleston that an individual had placed a firearm in a trash can at the restaurant. Officers recovered a SCCY, model CPX-1, 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the trash can. Phalen admitted to possessing the firearm and further admitted to placing the firearm in the trash can.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Phalen was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for first-degree sexual abuse in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 14, 2012.
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.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston 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. 2:22-cr-204.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Thomas D. Manns, 37, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 26, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to a report of shots fired at a Ewart Avenue apartment complex in Beckley and encountered Manns holding what they believed to be a firearm as he ran into a stairway. Officers searched the stairway and found a Mossberg, model 500AT, 12-gauge shotgun in a trash can. Video footage from the apartment complex’s security cameras showed Manns holding the shotgun before he put it in the trash can. Manns admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Manns knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 29, 2006.
Manns is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2023, 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 Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-66.
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Mingo County Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Military Death BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jessica Horton, 53, of Matewan, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money. Horton admitted to stealing approximately $181,713.58 in 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.
Horton is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine. Horton also owes $181,713.58 in restitution.
“My grandfather fought in World War II. The theft committed in this case is a slap in the face to those who earn these hard-fought-for benefits,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “That this fraud went on for as long as it did makes it all the more deplorable.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes 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-49.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Harley Daniels, 23, of Sissonville, pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021 Daniels began communicating online with a 13-year-old girl using the Kik instant messaging app. Daniels admitted to sending the minor female pornographic images while explaining sexual intercourse to her and asking her to “get naked.” Daniels further admitted to initiating several video calls with the minor female in an attempt to watch her masturbate. He also admitted to taking screenshots of some of his conversations with the minor female that he saved on his cell phone.
Daniels admitted to engaging in online conversation that were sexual in nature with other individuals he believed to be children. Daniels pretended to be 17 years old at times so he would appear younger. Several of the individuals that Daniels believed were children sent him images of themselves naked and masturbating.
Daniels admitted that he knowingly possessed 22 images and 297 videos on his cell phone and in his Kik account depicting known minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Daniels is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Daniels must also register as a sex offender
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) and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting 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. 2:23-cr-23.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Quashane R. Varner Jr., 28, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to 11 years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 12th Street apartment in Huntington where Varner was residing and found 362 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock, Model 29, 10mm pistol. Varner admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and the firearm and further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine.
Varner also admitted that he told investigators on the day of the search that he had previously obtained a 1-pound quantity of methamphetamine, and the amount seized during the search represented what he had not yet sold. Varner admitted to investigators that he had been selling fentanyl in the Huntington area.
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 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. 3:22-cr-72.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Johnte Tyree Warren, 24, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to 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.
Warren is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25, 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 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 Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney 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. 3:23-cr-79.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nigel Jamille Coats, 19, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to 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.
Coats is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Adkins pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm on May 1, 2023, and admitted that he possessed another of the stolen firearms, a Stoeger, model M3000, 12-gauge shotgun, following the breaking and entering. Adkins is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2023. The indictment against Cremeans remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney 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 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. 3:22-cr-213.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Fontaine Akeem Nelson, 27, 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 April 8, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a motorist passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle near the West Virginia Capitol Complex. Officers encountered Nelson in the passenger seat of the vehicle along with a loaded .380-caliber model Walther PK380 pistol. Nelson admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Nelson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute heroin on September 30, 2021, and attempted burglary and conspiracy to distribute marijuana on July 27, 2018, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
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).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-153.
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Federal Jury Convicts Former St. Albans Auxiliary Police Officer of Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Billy J. Griffith, 57, of St. Albans, today of receipt of child pornography and possession of prepubescent child pornography.
Evidence at trial showed that on August 24, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Griffith’s Baier Street residence. Officers obtained the search warrant for Griffith’s residence after tracing an Internet Protocol (IP) address that had been used to download multiple digital media files of child pornography. Griffith was an auxiliary officer with the St. Albans Police Department as well as an exterminator, and his wife operated a child daycare at the residence.
Officers seized numerous electronic devices during the search of Griffith’s residence, including an external hard drive, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a cell phone. Griffith told officers that the electronic devices were his and that he had sole access to the computers and cell phone through password protections. An analysis found digital media files of child pornography on all four electronic devices, totaling more than 3,000 images and video files.
Griffith is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Griffith must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson and Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White are prosecuting the case.
“I appreciate the hard work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and our other law enforcement partners in investigating the case and analyzing the evidence,” Thompson said. “My involvement in this trial should show the high priority the office places on cases involving children.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.
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. 2:22-cr-218.
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Federal Jury Convicts West Virginia Inmate of Sending Obscene Matter to a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After a one-day trial, a federal jury convicted Darrin Alonzo Miller, 41, today of transfer of obscene material to a minor under the age of 16.
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.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on September 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
“There can be no tolerance of predatory criminal behavior targeting children,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the West Virginia State Police for investigating this case and Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Francesca C. Rollo as well as our trial team for securing the guilty verdict.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.
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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Fayette County Couple Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Valerie A. Angel, 58, of Mount Carbon, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of cocaine and Christopher Lee Miller, 61, of Mount Carbon, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Angel admitted to distributing three packages each containing 3.5 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant at the Mount Carbon residence she shared with Miller on July 11, 2019. Miller admitted to arranging the transaction by telephone earlier that day and accepting $600 from the confidential informant in exchange for the cocaine distributed by Angel.
Angel and Miller further admitted to selling cocaine to the confidential informant on 10 other occasions between July 15, 2019, and October 24, 2019, at their residence. Angel or Miller arranged each of these transactions over the telephone with the confidential informant, and shared the responsibilities and benefits of distributing the cocaine.
Angel and Miler are scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks 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 Nos. 2:23-cr-76 and 2:23-cr-77.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Larry Wayne Meadows, 71, of Shady Spring, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 21, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Meadows’ residence and found approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, several grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, and a large assortment of prescription pills. Meadows admitted that he possessed these drugs with the intent to distribute them. Meadows further admitted to possessing four firearms that officers also found inside his residence.
Meadows told officers that he had been distributing about 1 ounce of methamphetamine and 1 ounce of heroin each week for about a year. Meadows’ criminal record includes two prior federal felony convictions for controlled substance offenses.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit (BRCDVCU).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner 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-99.
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Greenbrier County Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin Charles Baker, 35, of Smoot, was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Baker was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction for sexual battery in Cleveland County, North Carolina, Superior Court on July 19, 2021. The conviction involved sexually inappropriate behavior with a 13-year-old relative. Baker was aware of SORNA’s registration requirements. Within two years of his conviction, Baker failed to comply with those requirements in three different states.
Baker failed to update his registration in North Carolina before moving to Virginia in August 2021. Baker also failed to update his registration in Virginia before moving from Covington, Virginia, to the area of Smoot, West Virginia, in August 2022. Baker resided and worked in West Virginia from August 2022 until November 29, 2022, and failed to register as a sex offender in West Virginia in violation of the requirements of SORNA.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-226.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kishaun Andre Jones, 23, of Beckley, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 20, 2021, Jones sold a substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant near South Kanawha Street in Beckley. Jones admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling methamphetamine to the confidential informant on two other occasions in Raleigh County.
On February 23, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones’ Beckley residence and found quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin as well as three firearms and $6,445. Jones admitted that intended to distribute the controlled substances.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
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. 5:22-cr-64.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Angelo Johnson, 27, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 13, 2022, Johnson sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant, while aided and abetted by another, at a Ewart Avenue residence in Beckley. Johnson admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling a quantity of methamphetamine to the confidential informant in Daniels on October 31, 2022.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit (BRCDVCU).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-13.
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Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Raymond Matthew Ramos, 41, of Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to 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 and 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.
Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced on September 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 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Timothy D. Boggess are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-228.
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Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to EscapeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kevin Leon Davis, 33, a federal inmate, pleaded guilty today to escaping from the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) at Beckley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was serving a sentence for conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine when he left FPC Beckley without permission or authorization on November 13, 2022. The United States Marshals Service captured Davis the following day near the prison.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 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 Federal Bureau of Prisons, the United States Marshals Service and the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force, and the assistance provided by the West Virginia National Guard.
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-36.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Elijah Figg, also known as "Bang," 23, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine, admitting to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 29, 2020, Figg sold 3 pounds of methamphetamine for $16,500 to an individual in Charleston. Figg admitted to using his mobile device to communicate with the individual to arrange the deal. Figg further admitted that he knew the individual was going to redistribute the methamphetamine.
After the transaction, Figg traveled with four other people to the Beckley area of Raleigh County. Law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, and the driver attempted to flee. The pursuit ended when the vehicle struck some utility poles. Officers searched the vehicle and found $18,332 and methamphetamine residue. Figg admitted that the money found included the $16,500 he received from the methamphetamine transaction.
Figg is scheduled to be sentenced on August 31, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Figg participated in a participated in a DTO responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area. A dozen individuals pleaded guilty in connection with this prosecution, the result of an investigation dubbed “Woo Boyz.” During the course of the nearly year-long investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine, 45 firearms, including an IMI Industries Uzi fully automatic 9mm submachine gun, and more than $375,000 in cash.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF 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. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-32 and 2:23-cr-88.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terrence Wilson, also known as Terrance Matthew Wilson, 34, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a stolen firearm and violating his supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 28, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence and recovered a stolen, loaded Smith & Wesson .380-caliber pistol and a loaded Glock 22 pistol. Wilson admitted to possessing the firearms and further admitted that he had reasonable cause to believe the Smith & Wesson .380-caliber pistol was stolen when he purchased it.
At the time of this offense, Wilson was serving a term of federal supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 9, 2016. Today’s prison sentence includes one year and six months for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Wilson has a long criminal history that also includes prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver alprazolam in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 3, 2013, and interstate travel in aid of drug trafficking in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on February 5, 2015. The court cited the extensive criminal history and called Wilson a rabid recidivist.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew and former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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 Nos. 2:22-cr-3, 2:16-cr-88 and 2:21-cr-257.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Andre Leavell Pardue Jr., 35, of Nitro, pleaded guilty today to 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 and 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, and a safe containing 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 to both 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.
Pardue is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 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 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich 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. 2:21-cr-124.
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