Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brandon Lamarr McCauley, also known as “Louie,” 30, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 12, 2022, law enforcement officers pulled over a vehicle driven by McCauley on Fifth Avenue in Huntington. McCauley admitted that he possessed approximately 62 grams of suspected heroin, which he had divided into multiple bags for distribution, that officers found during the traffic stop. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was fentanyl.
McCauley further admitted to aiding and abetting another individual in the distribution of additional quantities of heroin totaling 2.6 grams on Sixth Street in Huntington on May 12, 2022.
McCauley is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-187.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Ray Ramirez-Bueno, 59, a federal inmate, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon while an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2021, a FCI McDowell staff member conducting a pat-down search of Ramirez-Bueno found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” on his person. The object was a piece of metal approximately four inches long, sharpened to a point on one end. Ramirez-Bueno admitted to possessing the object and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
Ramirez-Bueno is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-210.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Virgil Montell-Denzel Watkins, 30, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 10 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Watkins admitted to selling approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Marcum Terrace apartment in Huntington on February 3, 2022. Watkins further admitted to selling an additional 6 ounces of methamphetamine to the informant between February 17 and April 18, 2022.
On April 22, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Watkins and executed a search warrant at the Marcum Terrace apartment. Watkins admitted that the officers found a Glock, Model 30, .45-caliber pistol and approximately 10 grams of fentanyl during the search.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-74.
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Four More Straw Purchasers Sentenced for Roles in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Four more defendants were sentenced today for making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Each admitted to a straw purchasing role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jaleel Delaney, 27, of Beckley, Arileah Lacy, also known as “Leah,” 24, of Beckley, Dejaha Morris, 23, of Beckley, and Michelle Grim, 51, of Eccles, were each sentenced to five years of federal probation. Delaney was ordered to serve the first four months on home detention, and Grim was ordered to serve the first eight months on home detention.
According to court documents and statements made in court, each admitted to buying firearms for Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” who told them which firearms to buy at Beckley businesses and provided the money for the purchases. Each time they bought a firearm for Jones, they falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were purchasing them for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy.
Lacy bought a Ruger, Model Ruger-57, 5.7x28 caliber pistol, for Jones on April 14, 2021. Lacy further admitted she purchased at least six firearms as part of the overall scheme. Delaney admitted to illegally straw purchasing a Glock, Model 19, 9mm pistol on May 4, 2021, and further admitted to carrying out other straw purchases for Jones and others. Morris admitted that she purchased a Taurus G3C, 9mm pistol for Jones on October 17, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least eight straw purchases for Jones and others. Grim admitted she bought a Taurus, G3C, 9mm pistol for Jones on November 5, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least 17 straw purchases.
Lacy, Delany, Morris and Grim are among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the firearms trafficking. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
After five days of trial, a federal jury found Jones guilty on December 16, 2022, of conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to deal in firearms without a license, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and interstate travel with the intent to deal in firearms without a license. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the cases.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:22-cr-46, 5:22-cr-80, 5:22-cr-82, and 5:22-cr-83.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Christopher Stephen Taylor, 52, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 19, 2022, Taylor attempted to print images depicting prepubescent child pornography from two compact disks he brought to the self-service photo kiosk of a St. Albans pharmacy. Taylor was unable to obtain the prints and left the store. A pharmacy employee found the child pornography uploaded to the kiosk and contacted law enforcement.
Taylor admitted to possessing 1,769 images and videos of prepubescent child pornography. Many of the children in the images were under the age of 12. Several of the images depict children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct. Taylor admitted that one of the images depicts an adult male sexually assaulting a prepubescent girl.
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the St. Albans Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-181.
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Criminal Prosecutions Significantly Increase Under Leadership of United States Attorney Will Thompson during Fiscal Year 2022Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson had a momentous first year as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of West Virginia.
A series of successful major cases highlighted a federal fiscal year that saw total criminal case filings increase by more than 38 percent in FY 2022 when compared to the prior fiscal year. The district’s ranking for criminal cases filed among all U.S. Attorney’s Offices in FY 2022 was its highest in at least the last five years.
White-collar crime filings more than doubled, while cases targeting violent crimes rose by more than one-third. Drug crime filings accounted for approximately 45 percent of all criminal cases, and included prosecutions under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative.
“The criminal filings in 2022 are the result of the tremendous hard work and commitment to service by our team of eminently capable attorneys, support staff, and our law enforcement partners,” Thompson said.
Thompson was sworn in on October 13, 2021, less than two weeks into the 2022 federal fiscal year. During FY 2022, there were 270 criminal cases filed. Of these, 24 were OCDETF cases and 97 were other drug-related prosecutions. Violent crimes accounted for 98 case filings, up from 68 during the prior year. White collar crimes were 18 of the total, compared to 8 in FY 2021.
Thompson leads 34 attorneys and 41 non-attorney personnel located in offices in Charleston, Huntington, and Beckley. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district including crimes related to civil rights, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, narcotics and terrorism.
The Southern District of West Virginia will be issuing an annual report for FY 2022 that will provide detailed statistics as well as summaries of major cases from the past year. Notable cases include:
Civil Rights: United States v Everett Maynard (2:21-cr-65)
On Nov. 17, 2021, a federal jury convicted Everett Maynard, 45, of Logan, of using excessive force against an arrestee while Maynard was a police officer with the Logan Police Department. Maynard was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release on March 17, 2022.
Violent Crime: United States v Nathaniel Blayn Becker (2:21-cr-234)
On April 19, 2022, a federal jury found Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 43, of Marietta, Ohio, guilty of two counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device and two counts of placement of a destructive device on a vessel, in connection with pipe bombs found on tugboats on the Ohio River. Becker was sentenced on December 1, 2022, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Project Safe Childhood: United States v Todd Christopher Roatsey (2:21-cr-235)
Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, a former counselor at Kanawha County’s Pinch Elementary School, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2022, to attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey was sentenced on December 19, 2022, to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Roatsey was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.
Elder Justice Initiative: Romance Fraud Schemes (3:21-cr-68; 3:21-cr-69; 3:21-cr-70; 3:21-cr-71)
Nine defendants were convicted in connection with multiple internet-based fraud schemes that operated in the Huntington area and defrauded hundreds of individuals across the country.
The fraud schemes targeted potential victims looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Induced into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship or business relationship with false personas, the victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas. The defrauded funds were laundered for distribution among the defendants and others, with some of the funds transferred overseas.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: United States v Jones et al (5:22-cr-46)
Eighteen defendants pleaded guilty and one was convicted by a federal jury in connection with a multi-state conspiracy that trafficked more than 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between early 2020 and mid-2021. Approximately 45 of these firearms have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
OCDETF: United States v Midkiff et al (3:21-cr-109)
After a long-term investigation, law enforcement officers dismantled a conspiracy that distributed a variety of drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (also known as “crack”), oxycodone, and heroin in the Huntington area between the summer of 2020 and July 2021. All 19 individuals charged in this prosecution were convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in the conspiracy. Four of the defendants were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.
OCDETF: United States v Alston et al (2:21-cr-172)
The long-term investigation in this case successfully targeted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated primarily in the Charleston, Rand, and St. Albans areas of Kanawha County. The investigation also thwarted a plan to murder an individual on Charleston’s West Side on July 4, 2021.
Three defendants were found guilty at trial and the other 14 defendants pleaded guilty. To date, 14 defendants have been sentenced to prison. Eight of those defendants were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.
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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Maryland Man Sentenced to Prison for Transporting over $300,000 of Stolen MoniesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Dhanraj Singh, 62, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for interstate transportation of stolen property. Singh also paid $382,449 in ordered restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2017 until July 2020, Singh was the maintenance director at a resort in the Southern District of West Virginia. Singh admitted to embezzling $382,449 from the resort by submitting fake invoices that either requested reimbursement when no maintenance work occurred or inflated the cost of maintenance work performed. Singh further admitted to stealing approximately $2,400 to $,2500 from the resort’s petty cash each week. Singh sometimes directed resort employees to withdraw the petty cash on his behalf and deliver it to him. Singh admitted that he routinely transported money he stole from the resort from West Virginia to Maryland, where he would deposit it in his bank accounts.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen E. Robeson prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the U.S. Attorney Office’s Financial Litigation Unit secured restitution in 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. 5:21-cr-240.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Chadd E. Worley, 44, of Beckley, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 8, 2020, Worley was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement in Beckley. Worley admitted to possessing approximately 23 grams of heroin found in the vehicle. Worley further admitted that he intended to distribute the heroin in and around Raleigh County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Michigan.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-112.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua Dean Sprague, 42, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprague admitted to possessing a Ruger, model LCP, .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol while being pursued by law enforcement officers on May 4, 2022. Sprague was driving in Parkersburg when officers attempted a traffic stop. Sprague fled onto Interstate 77, at times driving in excess of 120 miles per hour. Sprague continued to speed during the pursuit and ran multiple red lights, including at the intersection of the Interstate 77 off-ramp and U.S. Route 50 and at the intersection of Seventh Street and Fairview Avenue.
Sprague lost control of his vehicle on Seventh Street and crashed into another vehicle occupied by a mother and daughter, who were both treated for injuries at the scene. Sprague fled on foot a short distance following the crash before being apprehended. Sprague attempted to discard the firearm in a nearby yard during the foot chase, but it was recovered by officers.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sprague knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for malicious assault on a correctional officer, escape from an institution, and aggravated robbery in Harrison County Circuit Court on February 10, 2004. Sprague also has misdemeanor convictions for assault and domestic violence in Marietta, Ohio, Municipal Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., 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. 2:22-cr-140.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Richard Chapman, 42, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to attempted distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from about June 5, 2021, until June 30, 2022, Chapman used a peer-to-peer file sharing program to make 704 digital media files of suspected child pornography available to others. Chapman admitted that the digital media files included an image depicting a prepubescent minor female subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Chapman further admitted to possessing 91 images of child pornography on his personal electronic devices on August 11, 2022. The child pornography included several images and videos depicting infants and toddlers subjected to sexually explicit conduct.
Chapman is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-174.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Lawrence Bryant, 32, of Fayetteville, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 1, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bryant’s Fayetteville residence and seized multiple digital media devices including computers, cell phones, and external hard drives. Bryant told the officers that he downloaded and distributed child pornography on various internet platforms and websites from approximately 2017 until March 1, 2021. Bryant admitted that the digital media devices were his and contained images and videos showing prepubescent minor male children subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Bryant further admitted that the child pornography he possessed included a video of a male toddler being sexually assaulted by an adult male.
Officers found a photograph on one of the cell phones depicting Bryant naked with a minor male child who was asleep and in underwear. Bryant admitted to taking the photograph and further admitted that the minor male child was younger than 12 years old.
Bryant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 50 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the FBI Baltimore field office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-112.
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United States Attorney Will Thompson to Hold Press Conferences in Huntington and CharlestonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson, along with law enforcement partners, will hold a pair of press conferences on Monday, December 19, 2022, to announce outcomes in three high-profile cases.
At 3:30 p.m. at the Sidney L. Christie Federal Building in Huntington, Thompson will be joined by officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Secret Service, and the Huntington Police Department to discuss:
- United States vs Kymoni Davis (3:20-cr-18)
- United States vs Kenneth Emeni (3:21-cr-68)
At 5 p.m. at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston, Thompson will be joined by officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police to discuss:
- United States vs. Todd Christopher Roatsey (2:21-cr-235)
** NOTE: The start time for each press conference is contingent on the conclusion of the hearings in the respective cases. **
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tytus Lamaar Shields, 34, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Shields and searched his Parkersburg residence. Shields admitted that he possessed a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol found by officers.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Shields knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for trafficking in drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in the Washington County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on October 29, 2014.
Shields was on parole at the time of his arrest and has a long criminal history that includes 16 misdemeanor convictions and 17 felony convictions. These convictions include several for drug trafficking offenses in Ohio.
Shields is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-268.
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Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kenneth Emeni, 30, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Martinsburg, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Emeni was also ordered to pay $904,126.96 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least August 2017 to October 8, 2020, Emeni took part in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million. Emeni’s co-conspirators created false personas to establish romantic, friendship or business relationships with unwitting individuals via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.
Emeni admitted that he accepted money transfers from victims to his bank account that he knew was from unlawful activity. Once the victims’ funds were deposited in his account, Emeni kept some and forwarded some to his co-conspirators via wire transfers or the Zelle digital payments network. Emeni received approximately $42,050 transferred by his co-conspirators’ transfers and transferred approximately $46,197 to his co-conspirators during the money laundering conspiracy. Emeni further admitted that he and his co-conspirators transferred large sums of their fraud proceeds to offshore accounts. From 2018 until 2020, Emeni transferred over $358,846 to accounts in Nigeria and Ghana.
“This heartless conspiracy exploited individuals who often were particularly vulnerable, and wreaked havoc in their lives and that of their loved ones,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-68.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kymoni Davis, also known as “Money,” 33, of Redford, Michigan, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Davis admitted to shooting into a Huntington club after his ejection during a New Year’s Eve party.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 1, 2020, Davis fired a Ruger & Co., model P95 DC, 9mm pistol through the front door of the Kulture Hookah Bar before fleeing the scene.
Davis had been ejected from the club prior to midnight. Seven individuals were injured in the shooting. Surveillance video captured the shooting, and along with statements from witnesses helped to identify Davis. Spent casings at the scene collected by law enforcement officers were later matched with a firearm seized by Charleston Police officers in an unrelated investigation. Davis was arrested in the Detroit area several months later and returned to West Virginia.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Davis knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for uttering and publishing in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Circuit Court on March 26, 2018, false pretenses with intent to defraud in Kent County, Michigan, Circuit Court on May 24, 2018, and delivering a check without account in Wayne County, Michigan, Circuit Court on January 25, 2019.
“This senseless act of gun violence demonstrates the consequences when firearms are in the wrong hands,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.”
“Protecting the public is ATF’s top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of ATF’s Louisville Division. “Working with local police to provide federal resources, like the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, or NIBIN, is one of the ways we accomplish our mission. This case demonstrates how NIBIN can help investigators link shootings, and how violent offenders are removed from the street when they use firearms to commit violent crimes. I commend the Huntington Police Department, ATF’s Charleston Field Office, and the prosecution team for their work to bring justice to the victims in this case.”
Huntington Police Department Chief Karl Colder also cited the relationship and partnership that HPD has with ATF as members of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
“I would also like to recognize the effort of the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office assigned to the investigation, and our detectives who spent timeless hours investigating the violent activities of Kymoni Davis,” Colder said. “These investigations of this magnitude can’t be accomplished without collaboration between agencies at the local, state and federal levels. This investigation sends a message that the Huntington Police Department will pursue any and all acts of violence in the city and investigate violent criminal activity.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-18.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Eddie Guy Jewell, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jewell’s Idlewood Drive residence in Huntington. Officers found approximately 73.73 grams of fentanyl, a Bushmaster, AR-15 5.56mm rifle, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. Jewell admitted to possessing the fentanyl, intending to distribute it in the Huntington area. Jewell further admitted that the search occurred after he sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant on multiple occasions.
Jewell is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-155.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Frazier, 42, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 9, 2022, Frazier possessed a Taurus, model G2C, 9mm pistol in Huntington.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Frazier knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery in Wayne County Circuit Court on April 14, 2000, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 2, 2018.
Frazier is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-222.
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Former Pinch Elementary Counselor Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, a former counselor at Pinch Elementary School in Kanawha County, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey must also pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in January 2020, Roatsey communicated via the Snapchat instant messaging application with one girl he believed to be 16 and a second female he believed also to be a minor. Roatsey admitted that he posed as an 18-year-old boy while persuading each to record and send him numerous sexually explicit videos that depicted each female masturbating. Roatsey further admitted that he sent both girls videos of himself masturbating.
Roatsey also used this Snapchat account to communicate with several minor females he knew through his position as a Pinch Elementary School counselor. These communications included more than 100 Snapchat videos that Roatsey recorded while communicating with two minor females, each approximately 12 years old. One was a student at Pinch Elementary at the time. During these conversations, Roatsey received numerous videos of the minor females doing what he called “sexy” dance routines or gymnastics poses such as full backbends. The minor females often wore only sports bras and shorts in these videos. Roatsey admitted to responding to these videos by telling the minor females they were “hot” and “sexy.”
The Court found Roatsey had caused “incalculable damage” to his victims.
“As an elementary school counselor, Roatsey intentionally placed himself in a position of trust over the kinds of children to whom he was sexually attracted,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “In our communities, schools are the only constant for a lot of children. A lot of the time, school is the safe place. The fact that Mr. Roatsey made this not a safe place was, I find, to be very horrific.”
Roatsey further admitted to distributing, receiving, possessing, and accessing child pornography, including images and videos depicting infants and toddlers, through a variety of media between at least October 9, 2019, through July 16, 2021. Roatsey possessed child pornography on devices seized from his residence, including his cell phone, and on the encrypted cloud-based file storage service Mega. Using both Mega and the messaging application Kik, Roatsey distributed various images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to other individuals.
On October 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Roatsey’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices found to contain child pornography. Roatsey admitted that several hours after law enforcement completed the search and left his residence, he deleted the Snapchat account he used to engage in these activities. By deleting the account, Roatsey obstructed justice by making various Snapchat records inaccessible to law enforcement and unavailable for any subsequent federal prosecution.
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.
“Today’s sentencing is reflective of just how despicable and damaging Todd Roatsey’s crimes against children are and emphasizes HSI’s dedication to holding perpetrators accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “Today’s sentence sends an important message to all predators. We will not allow any crime against children to go unpunished. HSI is dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable population against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence.”
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-235.
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Federal Jury Finds Ringleader Guilty in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of leading a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.
Evidence at trial proved that from approximately June 2020 to July 2021, Jones worked with his fellow gun traffickers and other co-conspirators to recruit individuals from the Beckley area to straw purchase firearms on his behalf. Jones selected the firearms these straw purchasers would buy and provided the money to purchase them. The straw purchasers falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were purchasing them for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy, which is a federal crime.
Jones and his co-conspirators then transported those straw purchased firearms to Philadelphia over the course of a nine-month period. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
“This ringleader and his co-conspirators contributed to the deadly flow of illegally trafficked firearms into our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The multiple convictions secured in this case are a testament to the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew and our trial team.”
“ATF’s primary mission is to protect the country from crimes involving firearms,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “One of the ways we accomplish this is by identifying sources of crime guns and disrupting firearms trafficking schemes. This investigation demonstrated how Bisheem Jones, and others unlawfully obtained firearms, how their actions put guns into the hands of criminals, and ultimately how those guns were used in serious crimes in multiple states. The guilty verdict makes it clear; West Virginia is not the place to source crime guns. I commend the work of the ATF Charleston and ATF Philadelphia offices, and I am grateful for the United States Attorney’s Office who worked hard to hold those involved accountable.”
The federal jury found Jones guilty of conspiracy to travel interstate to engage in the firearms trafficking, the underlying crime of traveling interstate to engage firearms trafficking, and money laundering conspiracy. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced.
Three of Jones’ co-defendants pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. A fourth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Seven co-defendants pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. An additional seven individuals pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the firearms trafficking conspiracy. Ten of the individuals who had pleaded guilty to their roles in this scheme testified at Jones’ trial.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jamon L. Woodson, 39, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a shooting outside a Charleston business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2022, Woodson had stopped his vehicle outside Jet Life Apparel on Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston and fired a pistol in the direction of the store. Following the shooting, law enforcement officers recovered a 9mm shell casing from the street and found a bullet hole at the entrance to Jet Life Apparel.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodson knew he was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of his felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana in United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on January 7, 2011.
Following the shooting, officers obtained a search warrant for Jet Life Apparel’s video surveillance system. The video surveillance footage showed Kevin Gerard Denson, 36, of Charleston, carrying a Smith & Wesson, model M&P 15, 5.56-caliber rifle and Jonathan Kennedy, 41, of St. Albans, carrying a Dickinson, model XXPA, 12-gauge shotgun at the time of the altercation with Woodson. Officers recovered both firearms from a vehicle in an alley near Jet Life Apparel. Each firearm was loaded with a high-capacity drum magazine. Denson and Kennedy previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and await sentencing.
Woodson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-183.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Daniels, 52, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for filing a false federal income tax return. Daniels previously paid the $280,088 in ordered restitution. He was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least 2013 through at least 2020, Daniels owned and operated Accedia Moving Services LLC. Daniels admitted that he falsely claimed or inflated business expenses to report a taxable income loss of $18,898 on his 2017 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Daniels admitted his business should have reported a profit of $187,771 for tax year 2017.
Daniels further admitted that he reported false information on his U.S. Individual Income Tax Return forms for tax years 2016 through 2019. Daniels reported taxable income losses totaling $164,491 for those tax years when he should have reported income totaling $410,459. The income taxes owed and due total $148,653.
Daniels admitted to failing to properly withhold $119,417.46 in employment taxes, including federal taxes and the employer-due portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Daniels also admitted to failing to pay $12,018 in West Virginia Workers’ Compensation premiums on those unreported wages.
Daniels admitted that the total amount of tax liability that he wrongly withheld from state and federal entities is approximately $280,088.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the U.S. Attorney Office’s Financial Litigation Unit coordinated restitution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-126.
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Cabell County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tiffani Meeks, 38, of Barboursville, pleaded guilty today to three counts of wire fraud, after defrauding a Cabell County business while its bookkeeper.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from August 1, 2019, through March 9, 2021, Meeks was the company’s bookkeeper and had duties that included paying bills, monitoring credit and bank statements, maintaining accurate accounting records, and providing those records to the company’s owners upon request. Meeks pleaded guilty to using company credit cards not issued to her to make three unauthorized personal online purchases totaling $7,329.39 between February 19, 2020, and November 3, 2020. Those purchases included $3,179.99 for an inflatable bouncy house.
Meeks further admitted that her unauthorized personal online purchases with company credit cards totaled at least $121,841.60 between February 12, 2020, and June 18, 2021. Meeks made at least $6,862.83 of the unauthorized online purchases after she was fired by the company on March 9, 2021. To hide her fraud, Meeks had the unauthorized purchases shipped to her residence, mislabeled them as legitimate payments in company records, and withheld pages listing them before providing those records to the owners.
Meeks is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000.00 fine. Meeks agreed to pay restitution. Of the $121,841.60 in authorized purchases, $12,151.15 has been credited back to the company leaving an outstanding balance of at least $109.690.45.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-119.
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Parkersburg Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Toni Johnson, 58, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence. Johnson admitted to possessing approximately 82 grams of fentanyl found during the search, and further admitted that she intended to distribute it.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-129.
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Roane County Man Sentenced to Prison After Pipe Bomb FoundRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph David Bailey, 52, of Spencer, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing an unregistered destructive device.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bailey’s residence and found a completed pipe bomb as well as five unfinished pipe bombs in various stages of completion. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) determined that the completed pipe bomb was a destructive device and that Bailey did not register it with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the ATF and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-249.
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Parkersburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mary Elizabeth Curran, 37, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, Curran obtained a quantity of fentanyl in Columbus, Ohio, which she intended to distribute in the Parkersburg area. On that date, Curran was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement officers after it entered Wood County from Ohio. Officers suspected that Curran was hiding controlled substances on her person, and she was transported to the North Central Regional Jail for an X-ray body scan.
While awaiting the body scan, Curran clogged a bathroom toilet when she attempted to flush two plastic bags containing powder. The toilet was taken apart and the bags were recovered. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed one bag contained approximately 56 grams of fentanyl and the other bag contained approximately 28.5 grams of a fentanyl analogue. The lab also found Curran’s DNA on one bag, and her fingerprint on the other.
Curran is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-136.
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Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Jeffery Ullum, 32, of Maysel, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 15, 2021, a law enforcement officer encountered Ullum at the Clay-Maysel GoMart with a handgun in the back of his pants. When Ullum saw the officer, he attempted to flee in a vehicle. The officer ordered Ullum to stop and recovered the handgun, a loaded 9mm Short Hungarian pistol, as well as a loaded Remington 597 .22-caliber Magnum rifle from the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Ullum was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 7, 2015.
Ullum is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-36.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Johnathon Earl Hamrick, 33, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 4, 2021, law enforcement officers searched the Parkersburg residence of Hamrick, who then directed them to a rural property in Wood County. Hamrick admitted to possessing a total of 6 pounds of methamphetamine found by officers at the two locations. Hamrick further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine.
Hamrick also admitted that he received quantities of methamphetamine totaling approximately 20 pounds from John Michael Wells II, 33, of Parkersburg. Wells pleaded guilty on March 31, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Wells admitted to paying and arranging for methamphetamine and marijuana to be shipped through the mail from California to Parkersburg in October and November 2021. Wells was sentenced on June 29, 2022, to 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin 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. 2:22-cr-139.
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Inmate Sentenced for Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Alex Barrera, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to run consecutively to the sentence he currently is serving, for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison. Barrera was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2022, an FCI McDowell staff member conducting a random pat-down search found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in the waistband of Barrera’s pants. The object was a piece of metal about six and one-half inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and the other end wrapped in cloth and a shoelace as a grip. Barrera admitted to possessing the object and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-151.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Courtney Michelle McComas, 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24,2021, McComas sold approximately 1.63 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a vehicle at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Richmond Street in Huntington.
McComas admitted to that transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 2 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on November 16, 2021, in Huntington. On November 19, 2021, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at an Oney Avenue residence and of a vehicle in Huntington. McComas admitted to possessing the approximately 41 grams of fentanyl found by officers during the searches, and further admitted that she intended to distribute the fentanyl.
McComas is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-58.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Treyvon Pankey, 21, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2022, Pankey sold approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Beckley residence. Pankey admitted to the transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 44 grams of methamphetamine and an AR-15, .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle to a confidential informant at a Beckley residence on March 8, 2022.
On June 8, 2022 law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Pankey was staying. Officers found a quantity of fentanyl, a digital scale, and a Glock model 41, .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Pankey admitted to officers that he possessed the firearm and had been selling approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine daily from January 22, 2022, until his arrest on June 8, 2022. Pankey further admitted that he sold approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” daily for an unknown period of time.
Pankey is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-116.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kevin Glenn, 38, of Detroit, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Glenn admitted that he sold approximately 3.4 grams of what he believed to be heroin to a confidential informant in Beckley on May 21, 2020. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory later confirmed the controlled substance contained heroin and fentanyl. Glenn further admitted to possessing $32,020 in drug proceeds when he was detained by law enforcement in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 20, 2020.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-116.
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Beckley Straw Firearms Purchaser Sentenced for Her Role in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Lakeshia Nicole Simon, 23, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Simon admitted to a straw purchasing role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Simon purchased firearms in Beckley for co-defendant Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” who told Simon which ones to buy and provided the money for the purchases through an intermediary.
On April 20, 2021, Simon purchased two Ruger Model Ruger 57, 5.7x28mm 5.7-caliber pistols for Jones. Simon further admitted to buying at least two additional firearms for Jones in April 2021 so he and others could transport and resell them outside of West Virginia.
Simon admitted that for each purchase, she falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing the firearms for someone else.
On March 3, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Simon, Jones and 11 other individuals in the firearms trafficking conspiracy. Three co-defendants have pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. A fourth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Simon is among seven defendants who have pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. An additional seven individuals have pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the firearm trafficking conspiracy.
Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
Thompson commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
Jones and co-conspirator Shakyrah Ross are scheduled for trial on December 12, 2022. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Destructive Devices Found on Tug BoatsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 43, of Marietta, Ohio was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with pipe bombs found on tugboats on the Ohio River.
On April 19, 2022, a federal jury found Becker guilty of two counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device and two counts of placement of a destructive device on a vessel. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, law enforcement officers recovered the destructive devices from two different tugboats moving barges on the Ohio River on October 21 and October 25, 2021. Becker appeared on security video purchasing pipes and other relevant components of the devices from a Lowe’s store in Marietta on four separate occasions and close in time to when the devices were found. Around the time of the first incident, exterior security video from Lowe’s and the Walmart in Marietta showed Becker carrying pipe bomb components toward an Ohio River bridge. Investigators believe the destructive devices were dropped from the bridge.
Similar devices were discovered on a third tugboat moving barges on the Ohio River on October 26, 2021. However, those devices were found to contain non-explosive septic tank cleaner and therefore Becker was not charged.
Becker was on probation at the time of the offenses, following his conviction for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer in the Washington County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on August 28, 2020. Becker had brandished a knife at an officer during a traffic stop on February 3, 2020, and then led police on a car chase before barricading himself in his residence. Becker was arrested after a standoff with law enforcement.
“This was a very concerning case to me because not only did it put the workers of the tugboats at risk, it also put the general public at risk because these pipe bombs were dropped from a major interstate bridge,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “This case was also very perplexing to me because even as of today, we have yet to find a motive of what made Mr. Becker want to do this. That’s concerning to me now and also concerning to me when Mr. Becker is eventually released.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.
"Nathaniel Becker showed complete disregard for public safety. His actions could have resulted in death or serious injury to citizens, as well as first responders who rendered those devices safe," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow. "This case demonstrates ATF's commitment to reducing violent crime involving the criminal misuse of explosives and it highlights strong interagency cooperation across multiple jurisdictions. I commend the ATF Charleston Office, the United States Attorney's Office, and our law enforcement partners for working together to hold Becker accountable."
Thompson also commended Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks and former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller for prosecuting the case and securing guilty verdicts on all four counts against the defendant.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-234.
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Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gerardo Tomas-Avila, 32, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien and was remanded to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 19, 2022, ICE agents arrested Tomas-Avila in Elkview, Kanawha County, after identifying him in the course of an investigation. Tomas-Avila admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States. Tomas-Avila had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Fingerprints matched Tomas-Avila to a prior administrative removal from the United States, which followed his arrest in Taylor County, Kentucky, on April 7, 2012. Tomas-Avila was deported to Mexico on June 8, 2012, following his conviction for driving under the influence in Taylor County, Kentucky, on April 23, 2012. Tomas-Avila never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, nor did he seek to reenter through other legal means.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing, sentencing Tomas-Avila to the time he has served in custody since his August 19, 2022 arrest before remanding Tomas-Avila to ICE custody. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-171.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Benjamin Michael Nash, 38, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for attempting to possess with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and psilocybin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nash admitted that he traveled from Parkersburg to California in July 2020 and obtained controlled substances to sell in the Parkersburg area. On July 28, 2020, Nash shipped a package containing the controlled substances from Santa Cruz, California, to a 19th Street address in Parkersburg.
On August 8, 2020, a United States Postal Service employee working in the Parkersburg Post Office stopped delivery of the package and forwarded it to law enforcement after smelling suspected marijuana. Officers obtained a search warrant to open the package and found it contained approximately 875.4 grams of a methamphetamine mixture, 50 boxes of candy bars made with the psychedelic drug psilocybin weighing approximately 1.9 kilograms, 19 pounds of marijuana, and smaller amounts of cannabis oil, flower, resin and seeds. Nash admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine, marijuana and psilocybin candy bars.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. The Court had previously granted Nash pre-sentencing release to allow him to participate in a residential substance abuse program at Recovery Point. The Court later postponed sentencing so Nash could finish the program. The Court at sentencing cited Nash’s successful competition of that program and his subsequent promotion to his current position as a peer mentor supervisor at Recovery Point.
“Mr. Nash should be commended for his hard work in taking advantage of the opportunities that the Court afforded him to recover from his addiction,” United States Attorney Will Thompson said. “It is readily apparent that Mr. Nash has suffered from addiction most of his adult life. While his addiction certainly did not excuse his criminal conduct, I certainly hope he continues down his personal path to recovery.”
Thompson also commended the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force for their investigative work, and Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks for the prosecution of the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-194.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Van Lee Harrell, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Marshall Avenue residence in Huntington where Harrell was living. Officers found approximately 8.6 grams of crack, three firearms, ammunition and digital scales in Harrell’s bedroom. Harrell admitted to possessing the crack and further admitted that he had been distributing drugs.
Harrell is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-148.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dashea Lasal Thomas, also known as “Dye,” 27, of Inkster, Michigan, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 6, 2019, Thomas sold approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington. Thomas admitted to the transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 23 grams of methamphetamine on October 28, 2019, and approximately 4 grams of fentanyl on December 4, 2019, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington.
On May 11, 2021, Thomas was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement officers in Huntington. Thomas admitted to possessing approximately 4 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and $3,500 found in the vehicle. Thomas further admitted that he intended to sell the crack for money, and that the cash was drug proceeds.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-37.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Donnie Earl Jefferson Jr., 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year 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, Jefferson admitted to possessing a Remington, model RM380, .380-caliber pistol found by law enforcement officers in his pants pocket when they arrested him in Huntington on September 28, 2021.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jefferson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 17, 2012.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-48.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Stanley, 46, of Bolt, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for retaliation against a government witness.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from July 2021 through August 11, 2021, Stanley sent multiple intimidating and threatening messages through Facebook Messenger to a witness in the federal criminal case of Stanley’s brother.
The brother, Charles Stanley, 52, of Shady Spring, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility and was sentenced to two years and six months in prison on June 22, 2022. According to court documents and statements made in court, Charles Stanley admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment in May and June, 2019, from the energy facility, located in Boone and Lincoln counties, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson, John File and Negar Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-144.
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Mason County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Matthew Ryan Harper, 22, of Point Pleasant, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 9, 2021, Harper used the Snapchat social media platform to distribute a video of a prepubescent minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Harper admitted to distributing videos containing child pornography on three additional occasions in June 2021. Harper communicated with others on Snapchat and the Omegle online chat website about obtaining and trading child pornography during this time.
Harper further admitted to possessing 100 images and 38 videos of child pornography on January 25, 2022. Some of the images depicted toddlers.
Harper is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Harper must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-60.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Melissa Dawn Lockhart, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2021, Lockhart sold approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Huntington residence.
Lockhart is scheduled to be sentenced on February 21, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-73.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kilan Nicks, also known as “Low,” 26, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, Nicks sold approximately 4 grams of fentanyl and 29 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Roby Road apartment in Huntington. On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a McVeigh Avenue residence in Huntington while Nicks was present. Nicks admitted to possessing a Taurus 9mm pistol and approximately $3,635 found during the search. Nicks further admitted that the firearm was for his protection and the cash was proceeds from his distribution of drugs.
Nicks also admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area from February 2022 until around June 2022. Nicks traveled to California and Arizona and acquired methamphetamine and fentanyl that he transported back to the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution as part of the conspiracy. Nicks maintained the Roby Road apartment and an 18th Street residence to store and distribute the drugs. Nicks further admitted to selling a total of 37.5 grams of fentanyl and 200 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the Huntington area over 10 separate transactions during the conspiracy.
On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the 18th Street residence and a residence in Chesapeake, Ohio. Nicks admitted to possessing 690.71 grams of fentanyl and a Radical Firearms, M4 5.56mm rifle seized at the 18th Street residence, and to possessing a Masterpiece Arms, Defender 9mm pistol, and a blender containing fentanyl residue seized at the Chesapeake residence.
Nicks is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118.
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Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Federal Mail CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Earnestine White, 48, of Evans, pleaded guilty today to delay or destruction of mail. White admitted to failing to process mail while a U.S. Postal Service employee assigned to the Post Office in Cottageville, Jackson County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, White was employed as a clerk at the Cottageville Post Office from 2017 through 2021. While employed at the Cottageville Post Office, White was responsible for accepting and processing mail dropped off by customers and for ensuring customers received incoming mail. White admitted that from about September 2020 until September 21, 2021, she knowingly delayed the mail by failing to forward mail to its proper location that came into her possession through her employment with the United States Postal Service.
White is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-162.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brian Martell Smith, 43, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and for possessing a firearm with a removed, obliterated, or altered serial number.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 11, 2021, law enforcement officers encountered Martell at the Marcum Terrace apartments in Huntington, at which time Martell threw a Lorcin L9MM 9mm pistol to the ground and attempted to flee. Martell admitted to possessing the firearm, which officers recovered, and further admitted that the firearm’s manufacturer serial number had been removed, obliterated, or altered.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Smith knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for carrying or possessing a firearm when committing or attempting to commit a felony (weapons felony firearm) on September 18, 2008, in Michigan Third Judicial Circuit Court, and for possession with intent to deliver/manufacture less than 50 grams of cocaine on August 25, 1999, in Michigan Third Judicial Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-76.
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Raleigh County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Brenda Crewey, 49, of Harper, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 21, 2020, Crewey sold approximately four grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her residence. Crewey admitted that she had been consistently selling methamphetamine and heroin over the previous year.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for conducting the investigation. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Alex Hamner and Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-42.
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More Results Announced in Beckley-to-Philadelphia Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Denise Johnson, 25, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license while Terri Lawhorn, 28, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Each admitted to a role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between early 2020 and mid-2021, Johnson recruited various individuals in the Beckley area to buy firearms for co-defendants Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” Derrick Woodard, also known as “D,” Shyheem Woodard-Smith, also known as “Peanut” and “Nut,” and Hassan Abdullah, also known as “San.” Johnson admitted that she knew these recruited straw purchasers would falsely certify on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that they were purchasing the firearms for themselves when they knew they were buying them for Jones, Woodard and the others.
Johnson further admitted to sometimes accompanying the straw purchasers to gun stores within the Southern District of West Virginia to obtain firearms as part of this scheme. Johnson also sometimes helped deliver acquired firearms to Jones, Woodard, and the others.
Lawhorn was among the straw purchasers. Lawhorn admitted to buying a Glock 44 .22-caliber pistol; a Glock 43 9mm pistol; and a Glock 42 .380-caliber pistol for Jones from a gun dealer in Mount Hope on December 23, 2020. Lawhorn further admitted to buying at least three additional firearms as part of the trafficking conspiracy.
Of the over 140 trafficked firearms, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
“This office is determined to stem the violence fueled by the illegal trafficking of firearms,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is to be commended for its investigative work in this case. I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani, who has secured 18 guilty pleas related to this case.”
Woodard, Woodard-Smith and Abdullah previously pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Lawhorn is among seven co-defendants who have pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. An additional seven individuals have pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the same interstate gun trafficking conspiracy.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearings.
Jones and co-conspirator Shakyrah Ross are scheduled for trial on November 29, 2022. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Denise Marie Cottrill, 64, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Cottrill admitted to a role in a large-volume drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in Kanawha County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cottrill sold a total of approximately 7.2 grams of methamphetamine to confidential informants on two occasions in January 2021, each time at her Charleston residence. On February 5, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cottrill’s residence and seized approximately 23 grams of methamphetamine. Cottrill admitted that she intended to distribute the methamphetamine.
Cottrill was among 17 individuals convicted following the dismantling of the DTO, which had distributed more than 160 pounds of methamphetamine as well as quantities of fentanyl and other drugs primarily in the Charleston, Rand, and St. Albans areas from March 2019 to September 2021. The investigation targeting the DTO led to the seizure of more than 12.3 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 34 firearms, more than $86,000 in cash, and several vehicles including three motorcycles. The investigation also thwarted a plan by four of the defendants to murder an individual on Charleston’s West Side on July 4, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the United States Marshals Service, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-172.
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Charleston Man Ordered to Pay Restitution for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Malik Breckenridge, 26, of Charleston, was ordered today to pay $41,666 in restitution and sentenced to five years of federal probation, including eight months on home detention, for wire fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Breckenridge admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of over $41,666 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Between April 4, 2021, and August 10, 2021, Breckenridge applied for and obtained two PPP loans on behalf of Malik Breck, his purported business. Malik Breck was not a registered business entity in West Virginia and was not engaged in substantial, legitimate business activity on or before February 15, 2020. Breckenridge admitted that he falsely stated that Malik Breck was established in 2014 and operating on February 15, 2020. Breckenridge further admitted that he submitted a false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business reporting that Malik Breck had earned $180,489 in gross income during 2019.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.
A Florida lender processed both of Breckenridge’s PPP loan applications. Each loan totaled $20,833. Breckenridge admitted that he later applied to have both PPP loans forgiven even though he had not spent the loan proceeds on permissible business expenses. The SBA forgave the loans on August 8, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the United States Secret Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the U.S. Attorney Office’s Financial Litigation Unit coordinated restitution.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-84.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson to Help Mark National Adoption MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join Mission West Virginia and other officials to help celebrate National Adoption Month on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Bible Center Church.
Thompson will speak along with a youth who has experienced adoption firsthand, parents in the foster care system, and a representative from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
WHAT: National Adoption Month Press Conference
WHEN: Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 11 a.m.
WHERE: Bible Center Church, 1100 Bible Center Drive, 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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Indiana Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Stefanie Marie Wells, 37, of of Jasonville, Indiana, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for bank fraud and aggravated identify theft. Wells was also ordered to pay $10,100 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2020, Wells wrote a $2,700 check from a stolen checkbook and cashed it at a bank in Mount Hope by presenting a stolen driver’s license. Wells admitted to obtaining the stolen license and checkbook on or some time prior to October 19, 2020.
Wells cashed three additional checks totaling $7,400 from the stolen checkbook on October 19, 2020. Wells used the same stolen driver’s license to cash the stolen checks at banks in Beaver and Beckley, and a different stolen driver’s license to cash the third stolen check at a Montgomery bank.
Wells further admitted to several unsuccessful attempts at fraud. On October 20, 2020, Wells attempted to cash a $2,650 check from the stolen checkbook at a Charleston bank while using one of the stolen driver’s licenses. On November 23, 2020, Wells attempted to cash a $2,300 stolen check at a Beckley bank, and then attempted to withdraw $2,500 by presenting a stolen driver’s license at a Summersville bank. Each of these attempts was unsuccessful.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Park Police, the Beckley Police Department, and the Summersville Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-191.
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