Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Roger Lee Cousins, 51, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2024, Cousins sold approximately 14.66 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant in Beckley. As part of his guilty plea, Cousins admitted to selling approximately 27.2 grams of fentanyl during the transaction, and to receiving a total of $3,140 for both controlled substances.
Cousins also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Cousins admitted to selling cocaine and fentanyl on October 21, 2024, cocaine on October 29, 2024, and fentanyl on December 6, 2024, each time to a confidential informant.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-42.
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New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cornell Cordon, 59, of New York, New York, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to update his registration as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), following interstate travel.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cordon was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse of a two-year-old female in Putnam County, West Virginia, Circuit Court on July 15, 2019. Because of his conviction, state and federal law require him to register as a sex offender for life. Cordon was living in West Virginia when he obtained permission from his probation officer to visit family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, from April 14, 2025, to April 21, 2025. Cordon failed to return to West Virginia following the authorized trip and there is no record of Cordon registering as a sex offender in New Jersey or in any other state as required.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-142.
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Two Huntington Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington men were sentenced to prison on Monday, May 4, 2026, for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area.
Earl Michael Myers, also known as “Mike,” 46, of Huntington, was sentenced to 10 years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Maurice Kelly Johnson, also known as “Reese,” 58, of Huntington, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 25, 2025, Myers sold a quantity of crack in exchange for $170, a Taurus model Public Defender Judge .410-gauge/.45-caliber LC revolver in exchange for $400, and a Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm pistol in exchange for $600 to a confidential informant. As part of his guilty plea, Myers admitted to conducting the transaction at his Huntington residence and to arranging it on June 22, 2025, when he showed the confidential informant the two firearms and discussed the different amounts of crack he could sell and at what prices. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed the 3.5 grams of controlled substance Myers sold to the confidential informant contained 1.5 grams of crack.
On May 22, 2025, Johnson provided a Smith & Wesson model M&P Shield M2.0 9mm pistol that was sold to a confidential informant in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted to possessing the firearm and to providing it to Myers, who conducted the transaction.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base on November 23, 1999, and conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on September 4, 1992, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Myers and Johnson are among four defendants indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they conspired to distribute fentanyl, crack, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area from at least in and around March 2025 to in and around August 2025. All four pleaded guilty. Three other individuals pleaded guilty after they were indicted separately as a result of the same investigation.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-161.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Nathaniel Wilburn, 34, of Ghent, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilburn’s residence and found a Hi-Point JCP .40-caliber pistol, a Charles Daily 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger EC9 9mm pistol, and a Taurus 12-gauge shotgun. As part of his guilty plea, Wilburn admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wilburn knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for breaking and entering in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 15, 2023.
Wilburn is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-67.
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Honduran Illegal Alien Found Living in Greenbrier County Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jorge Elpidio Erazo-Jimenez, 35, a Honduran citizen living illegally in Lewisburg, was sentenced today to time served for reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Erazo-Jimenez for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2025, law enforcement officers filed an ICE detainer for Erazo-Jimenez following his incarceration at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver on state-level criminal charges. Erazo-Jimenez later pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. ICE agents confirmed that Erazo-Jimenez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States twice, on December 19, 2011, after he was found near Sarita, Texas, and on December 9, 2016, after he was found near Roma, Texas.
Erazo-Jimenez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Erazo-Jimenez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
Erazo-Jimenez has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine and obstructing an officer with threats of harm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-180.
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South Carolina Man Ordered to Pay $271,444.86 for 2022 West Virginia Turnpike Crash that Polluted Paint CreekRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dennis Eugene West, 58, of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, was ordered to pay $266,444,86 in restitution on April 29, 2026, for negligent discharge of pollutants into United States waters. West was previously sentenced to three years of federal probation and fined $5,000.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 24, 2022, West was driving a tractor trailer in the northbound lane of the West Virginia Turnpike/Interstate 64-77 when he crashed while crossing Skitter Creek Bridge in Fayette County. Numerous totes containing alkyl dimethylamine that West was hauling ruptured as a result of the crash, and the pollutants spilled onto the bridge and ultimately discharged into Paint Creek. The discharge of the pollutants into Paint Creek, a tributary of the Kanawha River, continued until August 25, 2025, and caused adverse impacts on the aquatic life of the creek including the killing of several species of fish. The crash also shut down that entire section of the West Virginia Turnpike for more than 12 hours.
As part of his guilty plea, West admitted that he operated the tractor trailer while under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Law enforcement determined that West’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was more than 0.08 percent. West Virginia law prohibits any person from operating a commercial motor vehicle with a BAC of 0.04 percent or more. West further admitted that he did not have a permit issued pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act to discharge pollutants, including alkyl dimethylamine, into Paint Creek or any other water in West Virginia.
West also pleaded guilty on behalf of his trucking business, Gadsden, Gaillard and West LLC, to negligent discharge of pollutants into United States waters. The trucking firm’s insurance policy, which covered West, previously paid over $900,000 toward environmental containment, site cleanup, personal injury expenses, property damages, and other related costs.
“The defendant chose to transport a hazardous chemical while intoxicated, and that reckless decision didn’t just break the law — it put lives at risk and scarred this community’s environment,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “What followed, however, was a remarkable show of professionalism and resolve. I want to recognize the investigators from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and the West Virginia State Police, whose work ensured accountability in this case. Equally important are the first responders — men and women who ran toward danger, not away from it — who secured the scene, protected the public, and worked tirelessly, hour after hour, to contain the damage and begin restoring what was harmed. Their swift, coordinated response turned what could have been far worse into a situation this community can recover from. Their commitment deserves not just our thanks, but our respect.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger ordered the restitution and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Lastra prosecuted the case with assistance from Financial Litigation Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Combs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-175.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to More than 15 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Supervised Release ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Kennedy, 45, of St. Albans, was sentenced on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to 15 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and for violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between May and August 2025, Kennedy participated in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine in St. Albans and elsewhere. As part of his guilty plea, Kennedy admitted that a co-conspirator in California shipped several pounds of methamphetamine to locations in Kanawha County during the time period. Kennedy further admitted that he took possession of the methamphetamine and re-distributed it after arranging for another co-conspirator to pick up the shipments at the delivery locations.
Kennedy also admitted that he provided half-pound quantities of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator in St. Albans on May 30, 2025, and June 24, 2025, each time after the co-conspirator contacted him seeking methamphetamine for re-distribution to a customer. On June 25, 2025, Kennedy distributed approximately 690 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in St. Albans.
On August 22, 2025, law enforcement officers intercepted a package en route to a Dunbar address and found it contained approximately 38 pounds of methamphetamine. Officers replaced most of the methamphetamine with a non-narcotic substance before the package was delivered to the Dunbar address. Kennedy admitted that he arranged for a co-conspirator to pick up the package and deliver it to a St. Albans address where Kennedy later took possession of it. Officers approached and arrested Kennedy shortly after he picked up the package.
At the time of this offense, Kennedy was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his October 4, 2022, conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kennedy possessed a Dickinson model XXPA 12-gauge shotgun on June 30, 2022, the opening day of the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, during an incident at Jet Life Apparel on Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston in which shots were fired. Law enforcement officers recovered the shotgun and a second firearm in an alley near the business following the incident. Both firearms were loaded with high-capacity drum magazines.
Today’s sentence includes eight months for violating supervised release. Kennedy has a long criminal history that includes eight felony convictions, six of them for federal offenses.
“This isn’t just a drug case — this is a three-decade campaign of destruction. Nearly 40 pounds of meth, shipped in from California, funneled straight into our community like poison through a pipeline,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Even prison didn’t stop him. Even supervision didn’t slow him. That tells you exactly who we’re dealing with. We stayed on him because the stakes were too high to do anything less. Today, that pipeline is shut down, and this community is safer for it. And let this be understood — if you bring this kind of poison here, we will hunt you down and make sure you don’t get a second chance to do it again.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-166.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Enouch Jairus Kermue, 37, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 20, 2024, Kermue sold approximately 212 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while in a vehicle parked outside a Parkersburg business.
Kermue is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2026 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Born in Liberia, Kermue is subject to a pending final removal order and will be transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) administrative custody upon the conclusion of his criminal case.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbus, Ohio, Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-17.
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New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dominic Love Davis, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for failure to update his registration as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse of a 7-year-old in Kanawha County, West Virginia, Circuit Court on January 7, 2013, and required to register as a sex offender for life. Following his release from incarceration on April 30, 2021, Davis failed to complete his required initial sex offender registration. After a state arrest warrant was issued, law enforcement located Davis and determined that he had been living in Brooklyn, New York. Davis also failed to register as a sex offender in that state. From on or about May 20, 2021, through on or about April 15, 2025, Davis failed to update his registration including when he traveled from West Virginia to New York.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the West Virginia State Police, and the Kanawha County Probation Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-72.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Lee Woodrum, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Woodrum admitted to possessing a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol on March 19, 2024, in Charleston. Woodrum further admitted to knowing that the firearm was reported stolen prior to its recovery by law enforcement.
Woodrum also admitted to selling the stolen pistol and a second firearm he knew was stolen, a Springfield Armory Saint Victor AR-15 rifle, on October 18, 2024.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodrum knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for wanton endangerment with a firearm on March 16, 2015, and January 24, 2019, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Woodrum’s criminal history also includes prior convictions for assault and battery.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-171.
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Two Men Each Sentenced to at Least 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Michael Allen Corkhill, also known as “Mike” and “Mike Mike,” 31, of Dunbar, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and Steven Jamar Alexander, also known as “Dook,” 39, of Nitro, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
Both men pleaded guilty as the result of the same federal investigation, with Corkhill admitting to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Corkhill participated in the DTO during the time period by obtaining methamphetamine from co-defendant Amanda Marie Mace and redistributing it to customers in an around Charleston. Corkhill further admitted to distributing quantities of the methamphetamine on four occasions between October 22, 2024, and January 16, 2025, each time to a confidential informant at or near South Charleston. Corkhill also admitted that Mace was present during one of these transactions, on December 11, 2024. Investigators determined that Corkhill was responsible for over 6 pounds of methamphetamine distributed as part of the DTO.
Alexander sold approximately 20 grams of fentanyl on March 3, 2025, and on March 6, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in St. Albans. On March 26, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Alexander’s residence in Nitro and seized approximately 196 grams of fentanyl and nearly $8,000 including cash from the controlled buys.
Alexander further admitted that he was previously convicted of a serious drug felony, distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 13, 2019, and was released from prison for that conviction within 15 years of the current offense.
Alexander’s criminal history of 35 convictions also includes two for felony domestic violence, two for felony burglary, and five for assault.
“Michael Allen Corkhill is responsible for at least 6 pounds of methamphetamine poisoning our community, and Steven Jamar Alexander is a violent, woman-beating fentanyl dealer with dozens of prior criminal convictions,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Today’s sentences will keep our streets safe from both these offenders for a long time and show that my office will pursue the strongest punishment under the law against those who threaten our community.”
Corkhill, Alexander, and Mace are among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Corkhill and Mace are among seven defendants in the main indictment who pleaded guilty. Mace, also known as “A,” 43, of South Charleston, was sentenced on March 9, 2026, to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Four additional defendants, including Alexander, pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-78 (Corkhill) and 2:25-cr-70 (Alexander).
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced and Ordered to Pay More than $1.5 Million for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ross Jay Bailey, 50, of Cool Ridge, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including two years on home detention, and ordered to pay $1,596,301.46 in restitution for theft of government money. Bailey obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment. Bailey has paid the restitution in full.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 30, 2020, Bailey obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) of $150,000 on behalf of his business, R&R Delivery Service Inc. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide EIDL program loans of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bailey successfully applied to increase the loan amount in August 2021 to $500,000 and in February 2022 to the $2 million maximum. Bailey certified that he would use all loans proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic.
As part of his guilty plea, Bailey admitted that he fraudulently used the money he obtained through the EIDL program for purposes he knew were expressly forbidden. Bailey transferred at least $1.4 million of the EIDL proceeds from his business’s bank account to his personal bank account from on or about March 1, 2022, through on or about May 31, 2022, and Bailey converted these funds into purchases of stock and cryptocurrency for his personal enrichment. In addition to the criminal restitution ordered today, Bailey has agreed to pay $2,403,698.54 to settle the government’s pending civil claims brought under the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, and for breach of contract.
Bailey’s brother, Ryan Keith Bailey, 47, of Beaver, was sentenced on September 16, 2025, to one year and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,134,900 in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of government money. Ryan Keith Bailey obtained $2,166,517.40 in loans through the CARES Act for his business and instead converted nearly all of the proceeds for his personal use. The United States filed a civil lawsuit against Ryan Keith Bailey seeking civil damages and penalties that could exceed $9,289,579.10.
Mark William Bailey, 53, of Beckley and a cousin of Ross Jay Bailey and Ryan Keith Bailey, pleaded guilty on September 8, 2023, to theft of government monies, admitting he stole approximately $451,237.51 in SBA loans he obtained through the CARES Act. On October 25, 2024, Mark William Bailey was sentenced to five years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, and paid $451,237.51 in restitution and an additional $451,237.98 as a civil penalty to settle False Claims Act allegations.
“He didn’t just break the law - he exploited a moment of national crisis for personal profit,” United States Attorney Moore Capito said of Ross Jay Bailey. “While families were struggling to survive and small businesses were fighting to keep their doors open, these three treated relief funds like a personal bank account. Today’s sentence makes clear that greed dressed up as opportunity will be met with accountability. We will find those who steal from the public trust, and we will hold them to answer — no matter how they try to hide it, and no matter how many of them there are.”
The Bailey family members are among more than 30 individuals convicted in the Southern District of West Virginia of offenses involving the theft or fraudulent use of COVID-19 relief funds. Court-ordered restitution in these cases currently exceeds $5 million.
Capito made today’s announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and retired Southern District of West Virginia Litigation Financial Analyst Steve Rowley.
“Exploiting emergency government assistance programs betrays public trust and steals directly from hard-working Americans,” said Robert Steinau, Senior Official at the NASA Office of Inspector General. “I applaud the exceptional collaboration with the Southern District of West Virginia that led to today’s sentencing, ensuring that individuals who manipulate federal systems for personal gain are held accountable.”
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed today’s sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case with assistance from Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Justin Marlowe and Financial Litigation Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Combs. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil is handling the civil litigation.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-105.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Paul Jeremiah Buckner, 38, of Oak Hill, 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 October 7, 2024, a law enforcement officer in Glade Creek conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Buckner was a passenger. The officer found that Buckner possessed a Taurus TPC .380-caliber pistol during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Buckner admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possession the firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on January 14, 2014.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Park Service.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-58.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Michael Bailey, 37, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and 11 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2024, Bailey sold approximately 57 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $480 to a confidential informant in Beckley.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-66.
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U.S. Attorney Capito to Hold Press Conference in Beckley to Announce Sentencing in over $1 Million COVID-19 Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will hold a press conference tomorrow, Friday, April 24, 2026, outside the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Beckley, following the sentencing of a Raleigh County man for theft of government money.
Ross Jay Bailey, 51, of Cool Ridge, admitted that he obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment.
Bailey is one of three family members who pleaded guilty to stealing a total of more than $4 million in COVID-19 relief fund proceeds.
Capito will also provide an update on his office’s COVID-19 fraud prosecutions to date and announce the ongoing coordination with the recently established National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED).
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Friday, April 24, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. or following the conclusion of the sentencing hearing (sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.)
WHERE: East Portico, Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building, 110 North Heber Street, Beckley.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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U.S. Attorney Moore Capito Encourages Participation in DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito is encouraging West Virginians to take advantage of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s latest National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., more than three dozen collection sites throughout the Southern District of West Virginia will accept old, unwanted, and expired prescription medications for free and anonymous disposal. Collection site locations are available at www.DEATakeBack.com.
“Unused prescription drugs don’t just sit in a cabinet — they become a gateway to abuse, addiction, and tragedy,” Capito said. “Taking a few minutes to dispose of them properly is one of the simplest, most effective steps we can take to protect our families, safeguard our communities, and save lives.”
Law enforcement and other collection site partners will accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs.
Saturday, April 25, 2026, is the 30th DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This event has removed more than 20.4 million pounds (10,200 tons) of medication from circulation since its inception.
More information is available at www.DEATakeBack.com.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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U.S. Attorney Moore Capito to Lead Tuesday Ceremony for National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will join with crime victim survivors and advocates tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. for a Ribbon Tree Ceremony as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
WHO: U.S. Attorney Moore Capito
WHAT: Ribbon Tree Ceremony
WHEN: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Green space outside the Kanawha County Courthouse, corner of Virginia Street East and Goshorn Street, Charleston.
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Information and resources are available:
- About OVC and its programs: https://ovc.ojp.gov/
- About National Crime Victims’ Rights Week: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview
- About victim and witness resources in the Southern District of West Virginia: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/programs/victimwitness-assistance
- Via the SDWV Victim Witness Program: (304) 345-2200.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is (800) 799-SAFE.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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West Virginia Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child AbroadRead the Press Release
Today a federal jury in the Southern District of West Virginia convicted a West Virginia man for aggravated sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between September 2006 and December 2006, Dustin Stover Bowles sexually abused a minor known to him while he babysat the minor at his home. The victim disclosed the abuse to several trusted adults in 2020, as well as Army criminal investigators. Bowles was later charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act. At the time of his criminal conduct, Bowles had been on active duty with the United States Army, stationed in Hanau, Germany. In addition to the victim identified in the indictment, three additional victims testified that Bowles sexually abused them while they were asleep.
The jury convicted Bowles of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 12 while abroad as a member of the armed forces. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Because of the victim’s courageous disclosure, years after being abused, the jury held Dustin Bowles to account,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the Department’s commitment to protecting children from abuse and exploitation, even abuses committed decades ago and overseas.”
“Bowles preyed on a child entrusted to his care and committed a calculated, predatory act that shattered that trust in the most unforgivable way,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia. “This was not a mistake — it was a deliberate exploitation of the most vulnerable. The courage of this victim stands in stark contrast to the cruelty of the offender. Those who target children will be found and brought to answer for it — wherever they are and no matter how long it takes.”
“No matter the circumstances, no matter where you are in the world, the FBI will investigate, find, and bring to justice those who think they can prey on the most vulnerable members of our community. Tarnishing the nation’s uniform makes these actions all the more egregious,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “The FBI and our international partners will not hesitate to pursue justice across time and borders to protect our children.”
The FBI and the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald from the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Putnam County Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child AbroadRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury today convicted Dustin Stover Bowles, 42, of Hurricane, for aggravated sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between September 2006 and December 2006, Bowles sexually abused a minor known to him while he babysat the minor at his home. The victim disclosed the abuse to several trusted adults in 2020, as well as Army criminal investigators. Bowles was later charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act. At the time of his criminal conduct, Bowles had been on active duty with the United States Army, stationed in Hanau, Germany. In addition to the victim identified in the indictment, three additional victims testified that Bowles sexually abused them while they were asleep.
The jury convicted Bowles of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 12 while abroad as a member of the armed forces. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Because of the victim’s courageous disclosure, years after being abused, the jury held Dustin Bowles to account,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the Department’s commitment to protecting children from abuse and exploitation, even abuses committed decades ago and overseas.”
“Bowles preyed on a child entrusted to his care and committed a calculated, predatory act that shattered that trust in the most unforgivable way,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia. “This was not a mistake — it was a deliberate exploitation of the most vulnerable. The courage of this victim stands in stark contrast to the cruelty of the offender. Those who target children will be found and brought to answer for it — wherever they are and no matter how long it takes.”
“No matter the circumstances, no matter where you are in the world, the FBI will investigate, find, and bring to justice those who think they can prey on the most vulnerable members of our community. Tarnishing the nation’s uniform makes these actions all the more egregious,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “The FBI and our international partners will not hesitate to pursue justice across time and borders to protect our children.”
The FBI and the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial. Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald from the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, 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. 3:24-cr-100.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Deandre Jomar Harris, 32, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 10, 2024, Harris sold approximately 7.22 grams of a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant. As part of his guilty plea, Harris admitted that he conducted the transaction and that it occurred in the confidential informant’s vehicle while it was parked near Harris’ residence in Beckley.
Harris further admitted to selling quantities of a substance containing fentanyl totaling approximately 38.4 grams over the course of four transactions between September 11, 2024, and September 24, 2024. Harris sold the fentanyl substance each time to the confidential informant, and each transaction occurred in the confidential informant’s vehicle near Harris’ residence.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-7.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Tilford Bradley, 50, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2024, Bradley sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $100 in a business parking lot in Beckley. As part of his guilty plea, Bradley admitted to conducting the transaction and further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine on February 14, 2024, February 28, 2024, and July 22, 2024, each time to a confidential informant.
Bradley is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-117.
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United States Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service Announce Results of Operation Spring SweepRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito joined with the U.S. Marshals Service and other law enforcement partners today to announce the successful conclusion of Operation Spring Sweep. The nearly month-long operation targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives and resulted in 72 felony arrests.
The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force launched Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police on March 9, 2026. While it officially concluded on April 4, 2026, the work of the task force continues as another of its targeted fugitives was captured in Ohio on April 14, 2026.
“If we’re serious about the future of West Virginia, there is nothing more important than protecting it – so our children can live, work, and thrive here,” Capito said. “We are not followers. We are leaders. That’s the standard in this office, the commitment of our law enforcement partners every day, and the promise the people of West Virginia can expect from all of us moving forward.”
The West Virginia State Police conducted 222 sex offender compliance checks as part of Operation Spring Sweep, and 19 of the resulting arrests were for alleged violations of registration and notification requirements. The arrested sex offenders include Johnathan Matthew Taylor, 30, who was indicted on March 17, 2026, by a federal grand jury on a charge alleging he violated the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Southern District of West Virginia is a regional and national leader in the successful prosecution of SORNA violations. Part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, SORNA 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.
“Operation Spring Sweep shows exactly who we are – West Virginia is leading this country in being tough on crime, especially crimes against the most vulnerable,” Capito said. “We are targeting violent offenders and sexual predators who refuse to register and think the rules don’t apply to them. They haven’t learned their lesson – but they will. We will find them, and we will bring them to justice. That’s what this operation is about.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Video of the press conference is available on the office YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UoPHRZfc-s&t=3s
Fayette County Man Previously Convicted of Violating Clean Water Act Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 70, of Charlton Heights, pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return. Graves admitted to causing tax losses totaling $266,053.00 by underreporting his income.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2021, Graves filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return for tax year 2016 listing his income as $816.00. As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted that he filed a false return and that his corrected tax income for 2016 was approximately $427,256.00. Graves further admitted that his false tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $125,285.00.
Graves also admitted that he falsely listed his annual income as $816.00 on tax returns for years 2017 to 2020, underreporting his income by a total of approximately $608,163.00 and wrongfully withholding $140,768.00 from the U.S. Treasury Department.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Graves also owes $266,053.00 in restitution.
During the time period, Graves owned and operated West Virginia Environmental Services, Inc. (WVES). Graves and WVES were paid over $9.8 million from 2006 to 2020 to accept industrial waste at a Fayette County landfill and treat the resulting contaminated liquid or leachate. On February 22, 2023, Graves pleaded guilty as an individual and on behalf of WVES to violating the Clean Water Act, admitting they failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. This failure by Graves and WVES caused the discharge of toxic pollutants including arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium into Jarrett Branch, a tributary that flows into the Kanawha River near Alloy. On December 21, 2023, Graves was sentenced to one year of incarceration, to be served on home confinement as part of a five-year term of federal probation, and fined $10,000.00 WVES was fined $500,000.00 and placed on corporate probation for three years.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Clean Water Act violations, which brought the false tax returns to light.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston 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. 2:26-cr-31.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braden Robertson, 30, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2024, Robertson possessed a Ruger model Wrangler .22-caliber revolver, a Colt model Buntline Scout .22-caliber revolver, a Ruger model Blackhawk .45-caliber revolver, a Sar Arms model SARB6P Hawk 9mm pistol, and an Excam model GT27 .25-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Robertson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to commit a felony and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance on July 30, 2018, in Fayette County Circuit Court.
Robertson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Four of the firearms possessed by Robertson were stolen from a Fayette County pawn shop. On July 4, 2024, Jawuan Akil Watts and other individuals broke into the pawn shop on three occasions while the business was closed and stole 33 firearms, ammunition, coins, and a gaming console. Watts traded, sold, or gave many of the firearms to others in the Oak Hill community including individuals with felony convictions. On July 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Lesley Scott Watkins and found three firearms during the search, including two that were stolen from the pawn shop. Sixteen of the stolen firearms have not been recovered.
On December 4, 2025, Watts, 32, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Watkins, 50, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-23.
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U.S. Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service to Announce Results of Operation Spring SweepRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito and the United States Marshals Service will join with law enforcement partners tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, for a press conference to announce the results of Operation Spring Sweep.
The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force conducted Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police. The nearly month-long operation recently concluded and targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives.
WHO: United States Attorney Moore Capito, U.S. Marshal Service, West Virginia State Police, additional law enforcement partners
WHAT: Press Conference to announce results of Operation Spring Sweep
WHEN: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Front Plaza, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tina Marie Dixon, 53, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a garage structure behind Dixon’s residence in Huntington. As part of her guilty plea, Dixon admitted that she consented to a search of her bedroom in her residence during the execution of the search warrant and that officers found 37.1 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and 2.7 grams of crack in her bedroom. Officers also found $18,984 in her bedroom during the search. Dixon further admitted that officers saw her distribute a quantity of crack to an individual standing outside her residence when they arrived to execute the search warrant for the garage structure.
Dixon’s daughter and co-defendant Tabatha Rae Gardner, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026, to distribution of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-172.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Lovus Austin Brewer, 28, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years and eight 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 May 4, 2025, law enforcement officers responding to reports of shots fired at a Huntington apartment building encountered Brewer and ordered him to raise his hands in the air. When Brewer complied, officers saw a black pistol with an extended 30-round magazine on his right rear hip. Officers recovered a 9mm pistol from Brewer and 17 spent shell casings and one live, unfired round near the apartment building. Security camera footage captured Brewer walking to the front of the building and opening fire. Several residents reported that the gunfire struck the apartment building, and officers observed bullets holes in the building’s windows and walls.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brewer knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Wayne County Circuit Court on August 21, 2017, and fleeing with reckless indifference to the safety of others in Cabell County Circuit Court on September 22, 2022.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-149.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Darnell Marice McCarver, also known as “WAP,” 19, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. McCarver admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 2025, McCarver arranged the sale of approximately 63.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he communicated with the confidential informant while he was in Detroit via a FaceTime video call, and that he directed the confidential informant to a Huntington, West Virginia, residence where another individual conducted the transaction with the confidential informant. McCarver also admitted that he coordinated the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions between April 2025 and August 2025.
On September 10, 2025, law enforcement officers arrested McCarver and executed a search warrant at his Detroit residence. Officers seized approximately $4,479 from McCarver’s person and approximately 950 grams of methamphetamine, 48 grams of fentanyl, four firearms, and $8,764 at the residence during the search. McCarver admitted that he stored drugs at his residence for distribution in the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere, that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and fentanyl, and that the seized cash was proceeds from drug distributions.
McCarver is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO. McCarver and four co-defendants pleaded guilty. The charges against the other defendants remain pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-154.
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Bluefield Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Landon Joseph Cartwright, 23, of Bluefield, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 13, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cartwright’s residence in Bluefield and seized approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Cartwright admitted that he possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute it.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-115.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Steven Mark Hosey, 59, of Poca, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least April 2024 through April 10, 2025, Hosey sold firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL) in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Hosey admitted that he knew he needed an FFL based on the quantity and regularity with which he was buying and selling firearms. Hosey further admitted that he purchased firearms from FFL licensees with the intent to sell the firearms to other individuals, received requests from individuals for specific firearms that he would purchase to sell to those individuals, purchased firearms without a specific buyer in mind, and advertised the sale of firearms on various social media platforms.
Hosey also admitted that he sold between 40 and 50 firearms for profit during the time period. These firearms included a Glock model 43X 9mm pistol and a Shadow Systems model MR920 9mm pistol on January 25, 2025, a Glock model 40 10mm pistol and a Colt model Anaconda .44 Magnum revolver on February 6, 2025, a Sig Sauer model P320 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson model 629 .44 Magnum revolver on February 28, 2025, a Glock model 45 9mm pistol and a FN model FNX-45 Tactical .45-caliber pistol on March 17, 2025, and a Kimber model Tactical Pro II 9mm pistol and a Springfield Armory model Hellcat 9mm pistol on April 8, 2025. Hosey admitted that he conducted the five transactions in the parking lot of an FFL business and sold the firearms to a confidential informant.
On April 10, 2025, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Hosey’s residence and seized 34 firearms. Hosey admitted that he intended to sell some of the seized firearms for profit.
Hosey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-36.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Demonte Jovon Walker, also known as “DJ,” 26, of Pontiac, Michigan, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The first year of supervised release is to be served on home detention.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 24, 2024, Walker sold approximately 83 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $450. As part of his guilty plea, Walker admitted that he arranged the transaction beforehand and conducted it in the confidential informant’s vehicle in Huntington.
Walker also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Walker sold approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $300 on October 2, 2024, and approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $300 on October 17, 2024. Walker admitted that he conducted both transactions, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington, and arranged for another individual to sell approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $300 in Huntington on October 9, 2024.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:25-cr-100.
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Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Wayne Vickers, 35, of Summersville, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2024, Vickers possessed a SCCY Industries model CPX-2 9mm pistol in the Summersville area.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Vickers knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for burglary and grand larceny on March 10, 2021, and conspiracy to commit breaking and entering on March 12, 2015, both in Nicholas County Circuit Court.
Vickers is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-185.
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Morgantown Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Mansfield Davis, 69, of Morgantown, was sentenced today to five months in prison for failure to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The sentence is to be served consecutively to previously imposed sentences totaling seven years and 10 months in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was living in South Charleston when he failed to register as a sex offender as required following his conviction for possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on May 20, 2024.
For that offense, Davis was sentenced on September 5, 2024, to six years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Davis failed to self-report to prison as required on October 4, 2024. Law enforcement officers arrested Davis in Williamsburg, Virginia, on October 15, 2024. Davis was sentenced on August 20, 2025, to one year in prison for failing to surrender for a federal sentence, with the sentence to run consecutively to the sentence for possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-189.
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Former West Virginia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Against Inmates’ RightsRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Michael Pack, 39, of Beckley, a former corrections officer at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, pleaded guilty on Monday, March 30, 2026, for his role in a conspiracy in which he and other correctional officers would use unreasonable force against inmates, including pretrial detainees, as a form of punishment and retaliation. Pack pleaded guilty to one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 371.
According to his plea agreement and during the plea hearing, Pack acknowledged that he and his co-conspirators would strike, assault, and harm inmates they believed or perceived to have engaged in misconduct. As part of this conspiracy, Pack and his co-conspirators would bring inmates to “blind spots” – areas of the jail that were not captured on surveillance cameras – so that they could use unreasonable and unjustified force against the inmates without being recorded and thus avoid being held accountable for their actions.
Pack further admitted that, as part of the conspiracy, he and his co-conspirators would prepare false reports denying their unreasonable uses of force against inmates and failing to document injuries that inmates sustained during use of force incidents, so that the conspirators would not be investigated or held accountable for their actions.
Pack is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and former Trial Attorney Sam Kuhn of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-30.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeffrey Allen Jones, also known as “Ben,” 46, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 7, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones’ Huntington residence and seized approximately 44 grams of fentanyl, approximately 23 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and a loaded Glock 23 .40-caliber pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Jones admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them, and that he possessed the firearm to protect himself and the seized drugs.
Jones also admitted to selling fentanyl on four occasions between January 2, 2025, and March 5, 2025, in quantities of approximately 1 gram each time to a confidential informant at the Huntington residence and in exchange for $80.
On December 17, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington motel room, where they arrested Jones and seized approximately 15 grams of crack and 5 grams of fentanyl in his possession.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, a consecutive term of at least five years and up to life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to 1,250,000.00.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:25-cr-153.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Living in West Virginia Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Rosmery Morales-Mejia, also known as “Rosita Mejia-Perez,” 27, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to time served. Morales-Mejia will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for her transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about June 28, 2025, to on or about January 16, 2026, Morales-Mejia used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro.
Morales-Mejia admitted that she and her husband each purchased a counterfeit Green Card and a counterfeit Social Security card, that she and her husband knew these documents were counterfeit, that her counterfeit documents did not list her real name, and that she and her husband both used their counterfeit documents to obtain employment at the restaurant.
Morales-Mejia further admitted that she and her husband rented a room from restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr. in a house he owned behind the restaurant. Morales-Mejia also admitted that she and her husband lived in the house with other foreign nationals who were living and working in the Southern District of West Virginia without legal status.
Morales-Mejia and her husband, Wilmar Aristo Pablos-Miguel, are among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of a January 16, 2026, search warrant at the restaurant on charges alleging they were working there without legal status. In addition to Morales-Mejiam, Pablos-Miguel, also known as “Ariosto Pablos-Miguel,” 42, and Jose Alfredo Cruz-Perez, 22, each pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and were sentenced to time served with ICE immigration detainers pending.
Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, restaurant manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. That indictment and the indictments against the remaining illegal alien defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The January 16, 2026, search warrant was executed as part of Operation Country Roads. Conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners, the immigration enforcement operation resulted in over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-16.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tavoyn Billy Morrison, 26, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 31, 2025, Morrison sold approximately 3 grams of crack to a confidential informant for $200 at a Huntington residence. As part of his guilty plea, Morrison admitted to conducting the transaction and further admitted that he sold approximately 3 grams of crack to a confidential informant for $200 outside of the Huntington residence on August 14, 2025.
Morrison is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Morrison is among seven individuals who pleaded guilty as the result of an investigation targeting the distribution of controlled substances in the Huntington area.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
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. 3:25-cr-156.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Sharee Woodson, 45, of Beckley, was sentenced on March 27, 2026, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 29, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Woodson’s residence and seized 150.23 grams of methamphetamine, 80.57 grams of fentanyl, and 13.94 grams of cocaine. As part of his guilty plea, Woodson admitted that he intended to distribute the seized controlled substances in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. Officers also seized a Taurus GC3 9mm handgun and assorted ammunition during the search.
Woodson has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for distribution of 5 grams or more of cocaine base, grand larceny, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-116.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to More than 21 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tracey Brown, 46, of Chelyan, was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about December 12, 2023, Brown obtained approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine in the Dayton, Ohio, area and transported the controlled substance to an Elkview, West Virginia, residence where he was living. Brown admitted that he distributed approximately 1 pound of the methamphetamine and intended to distribute the remaining methamphetamine with another person in the Southern District of West Virginia.
On December 13, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Elkview residence and seized the remaining methamphetamine.
Brown has a criminal history that includes more than 30 convictions for such offenses as malicious assault, assault, escape from work-release, destruction of property and multiple counts each of unlawful assault, battery, and violation of a protective order.
“The message should be loud and clear — if you traffic drugs in our community, we will identify you, arrest you, and hold you accountable,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Thanks to the dedicated and professional police work by our law enforcement partners, Brown was prevented from distributing a massive amount of dangerous drugs in the Southern District of West Virginia.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force for their investigation of this case. The U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum and former Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh 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. 2:24-cr-16.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Levi Creasey, 23, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in connection with a purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 25, 2025, Creasey purchased a Glock model 19X 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer in South Charleston. As part of his guilty plea, Creasey admitted that he purchased the firearm for a juvenile and falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the purchaser of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for the juvenile. Creasey further admitted that he intended to deceive the firearms dealer into believing he was the actual buyer of the pistol, and that following the purchase he gave the pistol to the juvenile who was waiting in his vehicle outside of the business.
Creasey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-9.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Damaging Bluefield Federal BuildingRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Will Adrian Samuels, 48, of Jefferson, Texas, was sentenced today to time served and ordered to pay $1,990.84 in restitution for destruction of government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 19, 2023, Samuels repeatedly threw objects at two glass exterior doors located at the front of the Elizabeth Kee Federal Building in Bluefield, West Virginia, causing more than $1,000 in damage.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the assistance provided by the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the Wytheville, Virginia, Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-195.
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South Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Kanawha County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Andre Marvin Marneal Jenkins, also known as “Meech,” 28, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jenkins admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jenkins arranged to distribute fentanyl pills to a co-conspirator who intended to redistribute those pills to a customer. Jenkins also assisted a co-conspirator in the distribution of fentanyl powder to a customer. On April 10, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Jenkins when they executed a search warrant at a Charleston apartment and seized a quantity of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 17 9mm pistol from Jenkins’ possession. Jenkins also possessed a key to a storage unit in Dunbar. Officers executed a search warrant on that storage unit and recovered over 5,300 pills containing fentanyl and other substances, along with three additional firearms.
Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2,250,000.00
Jenkins is among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Seven defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty including Jenkins. Four additional defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-78.
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Illegal Alien from Mexico Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Wilmar Aristo Pablos-Miguel, also known as “Ariosto Pablos-Miguel,” 42, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to time served. Pablos-Migue will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro and encountered Pablos-Miguel working there. Investigators determined that Pablos-Miguel used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment at the restaurant from on or about June 28, 2025, to on or about January 16, 2026.
Pablos-Miguel is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the January 16, 2026, search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. Restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. The indictments against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., Miguel Angel Aguirre, and the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are the result of Operation Country Roads. Conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners, the January 2026 immigration enforcement operation yielded over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-11.
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One Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime, Another Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Today, Dylan James Pettyjohn, 21, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to selling a firearm to a convicted felon and Joe Sidney Cross, 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. Pettyjohn and Cross were each indicted as the result of an investigation targeting the distribution of controlled substances in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 23, 2025, Pettyjohn sold a Calwest model J-22 .22-calier pistol to a confidential informant for $150. As part of his guilty plea, Pettyjohn admitted that he conducted the transaction after arranging it beforehand, that the confidential informant told him he was a convicted felon during the transaction, and that the transaction occurred at the Huntington residence of Erin Leigh Keeney.
Pettyjohn further admitted to selling a Glock model 34 9mm pistol for $600 on May 13, 2025, and a Just Right Carbines model JR Carbine 9mm rifle for $650 on May 22, 2025, each time to the confidential informant in Huntington.
On May 13, 2025, Cross sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $220 in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Cross admitted that he arranged the transaction beforehand and conducted the drug deal in the confidential informant’s vehicle.
Cross also admitted to conspiring with another individual to conduct additional transactions on March 20 and March 24, 2025. During each transaction, Cross sold a firearm and Keeney sold approximately 1 gram of carfentanil to a confidential informant. Cross further admitted to selling 8.45 grams of fentanyl on May 22, 2025, and approximately 11.44 grams of fentanyl on June 12, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington.
On September 11, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington residence while Cross was present and seized approximately 12.35 grams of suspected cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Cross admitted that he intended to sell the seized crack.
Pettyjohn and Cross are scheduled to be sentenced on July 6, 2026. Pettyjohn faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Cross faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Cross and Keeney are among four individuals who pleaded guilty after a federal grand jury indicted them on charges alleging they conspired to distribute fentanyl, crack, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area from at least in and around March 2025 to in and around August 2025. Keeney, 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025, to distribution of carfentanil and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2026. Pettyjohn and another individual pleaded guilty after they were indicted separately as a result of the same investigation.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:25-cr-161 (Cross) and 3:25-cr-158 (Pettyjohn).
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marcus Allen Johnson, also known as “Mook,” 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 28, 2025, Johnson sold approximately 56.68 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington for $2,500. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is 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. 3:25-cr-187.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Garner, also known as “Jake,” 35, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garner admitted to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 17, 2025, Garner sold approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $350. As part of his guilty plea, Garner admitted that co-defendant Joshua Willie McCarver directed the confidential informant to a Baer Street residence in Huntington, where Garner sold the methamphetamine to the confidential informant.
Garner also admitted to the following criminal conduct: he sold approximately 51 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $350 on January 22, 2025, and approximately 336 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,400 on February 21, 2025. Garner admitted that he conducted both transactions at the Baer Street residence, and that McCarver arranged each transaction beforehand and directed the confidential informant to the residence in each instance. On May 31, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop in Huntington of a vehicle in which Garner was a passenger. Garner admitted that he exited the vehicle during the traffic stop and discarded a bag containing approximately 459 grams of methamphetamine near the front passenger side of the vehicle. Garner further admitted that he returned to the vehicle when instructed to by an officer, but then fled from the traffic stop on foot and was apprehended after a pursuit. Officers recovered the bag discarded by Garner and a bag containing approximately 49.8 grams of fentanyl in the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle. Garner admitted that he possessed the recovered methamphetamine and fentanyl and intended to distribute the controlled substances for money.
Garner is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO. Five defendants pleaded guilty, including Garner. The charges against McCarver, also known as “TJ,” 27, of Detroit, Michigan, and the other defendants remain pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-154.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert J. Thomas, 30, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2024, Thomas possessed a Glock Model 27 .40-caliber pistol in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 9, 2019.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-40.
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Fayette County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Crystal Renee Severson, 45, of Gauley Bridge, pleaded guilty today to fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents, features, and information.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from March 28, 2016, to March 16, 2022, Severson was an administrative assistant at the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists with duties that included receiving applications and application fees from individuals seeking to be licensed as nail technicians.
On or about January 10, 2022, Severson altered a $100 money order submitted by a licensure applicant by removing the payee’s name and address. As part of her plea agreement, Severson admitted that she replaced that information with the name and address of her mother and deposited the money order in her own personal bank account. Severson further admitted that her mother was unaware that she had altered the money order and had not given her permission to use her name on it.
Severson also admitted that she fraudulently deposited 19 other money orders submitted by licensure applicants between August 21, 2019, and November 23, 2021. The 20 money orders fraudulently deposited by Severson totaled $1,855.00.
Severson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Severson also owes at least $1,855.00 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-26.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy D. Luckett, also known as “Fetty” and “Jack Boi,” 33, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 21, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Rotary Road residence in Huntington where they encountered Luckett. On a kitchen counter in the residence, officers found approximately 454 grams of methamphetamine on one digital scale, approximately 2.5 grams of fentanyl on a second digital scale, and approximately 50 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Under a dresser, officers found a loaded Ruger .45-caliber pistol, a loaded Sig Sauer Mosquito .22-caliber pistol, a Feather Industries .22-caliber rifle, and ammunition. Officers also found $7,278 in the residence and $380 on Luckett’s person during the search. As part of his guilty plea, Luckett admitted that he used the residence to store and conduct distributions of controlled substances, and that the seized cash was proceeds from his distribution of methamphetamine.
Luckett also admitted to additional criminal conduct. On November 8, 2023, Luckett sold approximately 7.6 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $800.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
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. 3:25-cr-105.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Francis Combs, 58, of Cool Ridge, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 30, 2024, Combs sold a Bryco Arms model Jennings J-22 .22-caliber pistol to a confidential informant in Raleigh County. As part of his guilty plea, Combs admitted to conducting the transaction at his residence and after selling a quantity of fentanyl to the confidential informant at a gas station in Ghent.
Combs also admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl and a Jimenez Arms model JA-Nine 9mm pistol to a confidential informant at his residence on August 1, 2024.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Combs knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 26, 2007, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Wyoming County Circuit Court on October 1, 2019.
Combs is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin and former Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon have prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-188.
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