Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Colin Webb, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 or more grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2020, Webb sold approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $760 in a Kanawha City parking lot. Webb admitted that he sold more than 150 grams of methamphetamine to confidential informants in a series of four controlled buys between February 13, 2020, and July 28, 2020. Webb further admitted that a large-scale drug trafficking organization supplied him with the methamphetamine over a series of years.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-53.
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Arkansas Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Arthur King, 39, of Texarkana, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 19, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop along U.S. Route 119 in South Charleston of a vehicle in which King was a passenger. King admitted to possessing approximately 690 grams of methamphetamine found in his backpack, and that he intended to distribute that methamphetamine. Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at the Charleston hotel room where King was staying. King admitted to possessing approximately 446 grams of methamphetamine, more than 160 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, and two pistols found during the search.
King has a long criminal history among four states that includes 17 criminal convictions. Five of those prior convictions were for felony offenses, including controlled substances crimes and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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-121.
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Investiture Ceremony for United States Attorney William S. ThompsonRead the Press Release
Investiture Ceremony for United States Attorney William S. Thompson
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The investiture ceremony for William S. Thompson, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2022, at 2 p.m. Thompson will be joined by United States Senator Joseph Manchin III, members of the federal judiciary, distinguished guests, and family to celebrate his appointment. He will also express his visions and goals for the Southern District of West Virginia and stress the importance of serving as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District.
This is the formal, public swearing-in ceremony for Thompson, who was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on August 10, 2021. The United States Senate confirmed Thompson by voice vote on October 5, 2021.
WHAT: Investiture Ceremony for William S. Thompson as United States Attorney, Southern District of West Virginia
WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2022, at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Seventh Floor Ceremonial Courtroom, Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, 300 Virginia Street, East, Charleston
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (Such as a driver’s license) and valid media credentials. Media may begin arriving at 1 p.m. and must have cameras set by 1:30 p.m. Media should RSVP to [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Akale Jamel Green, 54, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2020, Green sold approximately 1.42 grams of heroin to a confidential informant while parked at a Hurricane shopping plaza. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mid-Atlantic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance contained heroin and fentanyl.
Green further admitted to aiding and abetting the sale of approximately 1 gram of heroin and fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Hurricane residence on June 9, 2020, and to selling approximately 1.33 grams of heroin and fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington on June 23, 2020. On July 22, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Doulton Avenue residence in Huntington and found a quantity of a heroin and fentanyl mixture and digital scales. Green admitted to possessing the heroin and fentanyl mixture and that he intended to distribute it.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 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 DEA and the West Virginia State Police Ona Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
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-100.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kevin Gerard Denson, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2022, law enforcement officers were dispatched to Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston in response to a report of shots fired. Officers encountered Denson exiting a vehicle in an alley near Jet Life Apparel. Officers found two firearms in the vehicle, a Dickinson, model XXPA, 12-gauge shotgun and a Smith & Wesson, model M&P 15, 5.56-caliber rifle. Both firearms were loaded with high-capacity drum magazines.
Officers also found a bullet hole at the entrance to Jet Life Apparel, and obtained a search warrant for the store’s video surveillance system. The footage showed Denson carrying the two firearms and Jonathan Kennedy, 41, of St. Albans, running across the store while holding the shotgun following an apparent altercation outside.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Denson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of cocaine in Kanawha Circuit Court on June 12, 2013.
Denson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The video surveillance footage showed Kennedy and Denson possessed the firearms after a vehicle stopped in front of Jet Life Apparel and its driver fired a pistol in the direction of the store following an apparent verbal argument. Officers recovered a spent 9mm casing from the street near where the pistol was fired from the vehicle.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on October 4, 2022.
Jamon L. Woodson, 39, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition as the alleged driver of the vehicle. The indictment alleges Woodson possessed 9mm ammunition on June 30, 2022, and that he 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. Woodson was arraigned on the indictment on September 29, 2022, and his trial is scheduled for November 15, 2022. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearings. 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-145.
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Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Raymond Jaquette Howard, 34, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Howard admitted to selling approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington motel on September 22, 2021. On November 16, 2021, law enforcement officer’s searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.
Howard further admitted to directing co-defendant David Anthony Wellman, 38, of Huntington, to sell quantities of fentanyl between September 2021 and December 2021. Wellman pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl on September 28, 2022.
On December 24, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Howard was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf.
Howard is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
“This case resulted in the seizure of a massive amount of fentanyl and removed an out-of-state supplier of this poison from our streets,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the West Virginia State Police.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-102.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Shawn Anthony Graves, 29, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 14th Street residence and found approximately 15.4 grams of crack and 4.5 grams of cocaine. Graves admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the crack and cocaine located inside the 14th Street residence.
Graves further admitted to selling quantities of crack at the 14th Street residence on September 26, 2019 and October 28, 2019, each time to a confidential informant.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Officers also found three loaded firearms during the November 7, 2019 search of the 14th Street residence: an Eagle Arms AR15 .223-caliber rifle; a Springfield XDS 9mm pistol; and a Taurus Judge Public Defender, .45/.410-caliber pistol. Co-defendant Marshall Lee Graves II, 38, of Huntington, was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 24, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-181.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Maylik Watson, 29, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2020, Watson sold approximately 174.9 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Charleston for $5,600.
Watson and 11 other individuals have pleaded guilty to charges arising from a long-term investigation dubbed the “Woo Boyz.” The investigation targeted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) with ties to the Bloods and Gangster Disciples criminal gangs that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area from July 2020 until February 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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-32.
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North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to False Statements CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A North Carolina business owner pleaded guilty to lying to the United States Department of Agriculture regarding the Nicholas County coal he pledged as collateral for a $9 million USDA-backed business loan.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Michael James Peters, 42, of Concord, North Carolina, was part owner, president, and operator of Taylor Rose Energy (TRE). On July 24, 2014, TRE obtained a $9,065,165 loan from a Georgia bank to buy out investors’ interest in approximately 146,954 tons of cannel coal in Dixie, Nicholas County. In support of the loan, TRE represented that it intended to convert the coal into “smokeless” coal briquettes for consumer coal-burning home heating systems in Ireland. The USDA Rural Development Business and Industry loan program guaranteed 90 percent of the loan.
By January 2015, Peters owed more than $1.3 million to the owner and operator of another coal company, Aces High Coal Sales Inc. of London, Kentucky. From February 2015 to April 2015, Peters allowed Aces High to remove more than 80,000 tons of the collateralized coal from the Dixie site to settle this debt. Peters was unable to repay the USDA-backed loan, and did not inform the Georgia bank that coal pledged as the loan’s collateral was being taken to address the debt to Aces High.
Peters told the Georgia bank that 90 percent of the coal was “missing” from the Dixie site. On May 8, 2015, representatives from the bank and the USDA visited the Dixie site to investigate the removal of the collateralized coal. Peters falsely told USDA and bank representatives that Aces High had removed the coal from the site without his permission. At the plea hearing, Peters admitted that he lied to the USDA representative during this site visit in order to redirect the focus of the investigation away from his own conduct.
Peters pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a representative of the United States Department of Agriculture. Peters is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Peters also agreed to pay $1,375,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman 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-159.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Henderson, 34, of Michigan, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Henderson was a passenger in downtown Charleston. During the traffic stop, a police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in a duffel bag belonging to Henderson. Officers searched the bag and found approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine.
Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $20 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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-65.
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Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Flaviano Mateos-Hernandez, 45, 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 June 7, 2022, ICE agents arrested Mateos-Hernandez in Pineville after identifying him in the course of an investigation. Mateos-Hernandez admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had been previously deported from the United States. Mateos-Hernandez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Fingerprints matched Mateos-Hernandez to a prior administrative removal from the United States, which followed his arrest in West Virginia on June 7, 2016. While in West Virginia, Mateos-Hernandez was twice convicted of misdemeanor DUI in Wyoming County Magistrate Court on May 14, 2015, and April 10, 2016. Mateos-Hernandez also twice agreed to voluntarily return to Mexico following arrests in California on August 15, 2002, and Arizona on April 15, 2009. Mateos-Hernandez 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 Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing, sentencing Mateos-Hernandez to the time he has served in custody since his June 7, 2022 arrest before remanding him 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. 5:22-cr-128.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Travis John Miller, 39, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller admitted to selling approximately 26.94 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at his Beckley residence on October 19, 2021. Miller further admitted to selling quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on October 20 and October 27, 2021.
On October 29, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Miller’s residence and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and a Hi-Point .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 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 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 Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-107.
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Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Crime Against Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Norman Leon Geipe II, 39, pleaded guilty today to resisting a federal officer causing bodily injury.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 14, 2021, deputy U.S. Marshals approached Geipe outside a Parkersburg homeless shelter and told Geipe they had an arrest warrant alleging he had failed to register as a sex offender. Geipe physically resisted the attempt to take him into custody and bit the left forearm of one of the deputy U.S. Marshals, breaking the skin and drawing blood.
Giepe is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 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 United States Marshals Service and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Troy D. Adams and Joseph F. Adams are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-98.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Takes Part in Justice Department’s Wide-Ranging Efforts to Protect Older AdultsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Justice Department announced the results of its efforts over the past year to protect older adults from fraud and exploitation. During the past year, the Department and its law enforcement partners tackled matters that ranged from mass-marketing scams that impacted thousands of victims to bad actors scamming their neighbors. Substantial efforts were also made over the last year to return money to fraud victims. Today, the Department also announced it is expanding its Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force to amplify efforts to combat scams originating overseas.
“We are intensifying our efforts nationwide to protect older adults, including by more than tripling the number of U.S. Attorneys’ offices participating in our Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force dedicated to disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting foreign-based fraud schemes that target American seniors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This expansion builds on the Justice Department’s existing work to hold accountable those who steal funds from older adults, including by returning those funds to the victims where possible.”
“Our seniors and their loved ones should never hesitate to seek help from law enforcement when they encounter elder fraud,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Education and prevention are crucial as we combat this form of exploitation. But when fraud strikes, we are determined to bring these criminals to justice and recover losses for victims.”
During the period from September 2021 to September 2022, Department personnel and its law enforcement partners pursued approximately 260 cases involving more than 600 defendants, both bringing new cases and advancing those previously charged.
This past year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia secured convictions against nine individuals on charges arising from romance and other online scams that coerced seniors and other vulnerable victims into sending money to scheme participants. Five of these individuals pleaded guilty in connection with a romance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 200 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $2.5 million.
As part of the Southern District of West Virginia’s elder fraud efforts, it engages in outreach to the community and industry to raise awareness about scams and exploitation and preventing victimization. It presented a public messaging campaign in conjunction with the observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: https://youtu.be/Av6XWosOCpU. U.S. Attorney Thompson participated in a virtual town hall focused on elder fraud education and prevention hosted by AARP of West Virginia on September 27, 2022.
The Department also highlighted three other efforts: expansion of the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force, success in returning money to victims and efforts to combat grandparent scams.
The Department announced that as part of its continuing efforts to protect older adults and bring perpetrators of fraud schemes to justice it is expanding the Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, adding 14 new U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Expansion of the Strike Force will help to coordinate the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat largest and most harmful fraud schemes that target or disproportionately impact older adults.
In the past year, the Department has notified over 550,000 people that they may be eligible for remission payments. Notifications were made to consumers whose information was sold by one of three data companies prosecuted by the Department and were later victims of “sweepstakes” or “astrology” solicitations that falsely promised prizes or individualized services in return for a fee. More than 150,000 of those victims cashed checks totaling $52 million, and thousands more are eligible to receive checks. Also notified were consumers who paid fraudsters perpetrating person-in-need scams and job scams via Western Union. In the past year, the Department has identified and contacted over 300,000 consumers who may be eligible for remission. Since March of 2020 more than 148,000 victims have received more than $366 million as a result of a 2017 criminal resolution with Western Union for the company’s willful failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and its aiding and abetting of wire fraud.
Over the past year, the Department pursued cases against the perpetrators of “grandparent scams,” otherwise known as “person-in-need scams.” These scams typically begin when a fraudster, often based overseas, contacts an older adult and poses as either a grandchild, other family member or someone calling on behalf of a family member. Call recipients are told that their family member is in jeopardy and is urgently in need of money. When recently sentencing one of eight perpetrators of a grandparent scam indicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a federal judge described such scams “heartbreakingly evil.” The Department is working with government partners and others to raise awareness about these schemes.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This 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 next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting or connect them with agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.
Some of the cases that comprise today’s announcement are charges, which are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Kennedy, 41, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2022, law enforcement officers were dispatched to Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston in response to a report of shots fired. Officers found a bullet hole at the entrance of Jet Life Apparel and obtained a search warrant for the store’s video surveillance system, which showed two firearms inside the store: a Dickinson, model XXPA, 12-gauge shotgun; and a Smith & Wesson, model M&P 15, 5.56-caliber rifle. The video surveillance footage also showed Kennedy running across the store while holding the shotgun following an apparent altercation outside.
Officers recovered both firearms from a vehicle in an alley near Jet Life Apparel. Each firearm was loaded with a high-capacity drum magazine.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Kennedy knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for interstate travel in aid of drug trafficking and use of a communication facility in furtherance of an unlawful act in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 3, 2014.
Kennedy is scheduled to be sentenced on January 25, 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 hearings. 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-145.
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United States Attorney Will Thompson to Hold Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson, along with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and other law enforcement officials will hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, October 3, 2022, to announce the final sentencing for the key defendants in a successful drug trafficking organization (DTO) prosecution.
WHERE: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, 300 Virginia St. East, Charleston, WV 25301.
WHEN: Monday, October 3, 2022, at 3:30 p.m.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Samuel Manriquez, 37, of Cross Lanes, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Charleston residence where Manriquez was hiding to evade arrest. Manriquez refused to surrender, and after several hours was removed from a crawl space beneath the residence’s basement floor. Officers found two bags of fentanyl totaling approximately 6.3 grams and $1,620 in Manriquez’s left pants pocket. Manriquez admitted that he intended to distribute some of the fentanyl found on his person.
On January 8, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a 911 hang-up call at Manriquez’s residence. Manriquez admitted that he struck a female guest in the side of her head with his fist during an argument and then left the residence before officers arrived. The officers executed a search warrant at Manriquez’s residence and found a Walther HK MP5 .22-caliber rifle, a Ruger .22-caliber pistol, parts to a Hi-Point .45-caliber pistol, $4,680 and drug paraphernalia including a scale and aluminum foil with a white powder residue.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Manriquez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony convictions for distribution of U-47700, an opioid, and distribution of U-47700 and furanyl fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 1, 2019.
Manriquez is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 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), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White 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-176.
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Final Major Defendant Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Leo Antoine Smith, 38, of Cross Lanes, was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
Smith is the final major defendant to be sentenced in connection with an investigation that dismantled a large-volume drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated primarily in the Charleston, Rand, and St. Albans areas of Kanawha County from March 2019 to September 2021. The DTO distributed more than 160 pounds of methamphetamine as well as quantities of fentanyl and other drugs. The investigation also thwarted a plan by four of the defendants to murder an individual on Charleston’s West Side on July 4, 2021.
“These defendants threatened our communities with their poison as well as gun violence,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The amount of methamphetamine trafficked from Kentucky, Georgia, and Ohio is staggering. This investigation and prosecution wiped out all connections between the DTO’s suppliers and the Southern District of West Virginia.”
The investigation culminated in 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. All 17 individuals indicted have been convicted.
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of the tireless effort by FBI Pittsburgh and our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue the leadership of drug trafficking organizations and dismantle them. Mr. Smith and the rest of the defendants in this case will face the consequences for trafficking the drugs that fuel violence in the Charleston area.”
The investigation also prevented a fatal drug overdose in St. Albans and several violent incidents including the Fourth of July 2021 plot. In that incident, four of the defendants - Treydan Leon Burks, Brian Dangelo Terry, James Edward Bennett III, and Douglas Johnathan Wesley - armed themselves in Rand and drove to Charleston to commit a drive-by shooting murder. Alerted to the plot, police in marked cruisers converged on the area. The four men abandoned their vehicle in a Lee Street parking lot due to the increased police presence. Federal agents executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered four loaded firearms: a Spike’s Tactical, Model SL15, .223-caliber pistol; an FNH, Model FNS-9, 9mm pistol; a Taurus, Model G2C, 9mm pistol; and a Sig Sauer, Model SP2022, .40-caliber pistol.
“Too often, Charleston and the surrounding communities feel the impact of illegal drug distribution and the violence associated with it,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “I hope the message is clear today: ATF, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners will not let drug dealers take hold of our neighborhoods. We are committed to making our communities safe, and to holding criminals accountable for violence and drug trafficking that destroys our families.”
“The success of this investigation is a testament to the outstanding work and effective coordination of the FBI, the ATF, the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the United States Marshals Service, and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office,” Thompson said. “I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner for securing convictions against all of the defendants, including at trials where juries found Smith and two other defendants guilty on all counts against them.”
MDENT includes the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Charleston, Nitro, South Charleston and St. Albans police departments.
A federal jury found Smith guilty after a two-day trial on May 26, 2022. Evidence at trial established that Smith distributed methamphetamine around Charleston between the fall of 2020 and September 21, 2021. On at least one occasion in early 2021, Smith traveled with co-defendant Terry to Atlanta to purchase methamphetamine from another co-defendant, Ramon David Alston. Trial testimony, wiretap evidence, and text messages obtained from Smith’s cellphones revealed that he distributed more than 60 ounces of methamphetamine.
The other major defendants were sentenced to the following prison terms following their convictions on felony offenses:
- Timothy Wayne Dodd, 46, of South Charleston, to 21 years and seven months for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Shane Kelly Fulkerson, 45, of Charleston, to 19 years and seven months for two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Ramon David Alston, 42, of Decatur, Georgia, to 12 years and six months for conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine;
- James Edward Bennett III, 31, of Charleston, to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm;
- Jason Robert Oxley, 39, of St. Albans, to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm;
- Brian Dangelo Terry, 37, of Charleston, to 10 years for conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm;
- Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, of Charleston, to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm;
- Jonathan Gregory Bush, 39, of Dunbar, to eight years and one month for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
- Scott Edward Hudson, 50, of St. Albans, to seven years for intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm;
- Treydan Leon Burks, 32, of Charleston, to seven years for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine;
- Angie Lane Harbour, 41, of Given, to three years and 10 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
- Michael Antonio Smith, 50, of Charleston, to two years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences.
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-171, 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-211, and 2:22-cr-90.
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Raleigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Krystle Elaine Cresce, 33, of Glen Morgan, Raleigh County, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley hotel room where Cresce was staying and found quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. Law enforcement officers also found $917, and three firearms: a SCCY, Model CPX-2 9mm semi-automatic pistol; a Springfield Armory, Model 911, 9mm semi-automatic pistol; and a Mossburg, Model 500, 12-gauge shotgun.
Officers encountered Cresce’s co-defendant in the hallway near Cresce’s hotel room and seized approximately 64 grams of heroin, 54 grams of methamphetamine and more than $2,850 in cash from the co-defendant. Cresce admitted that she worked with and assisted her co-defendant in the possession and distribution of the heroin and methamphetamine.
Cresce is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the 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 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-265.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Sean Hafesh, 33, of Daniels, Raleigh County, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2021, Hafesh sold approximately 3.7 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant at a residence in Daniels, West Virginia. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was fentanyl.
Hafesh further admitted to selling additional quantities of suspected heroin to confidential informants on October 5, 2021, and October 12, 2021. The following day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence and found 355 grams of suspected heroin, 24.5 grams of methamphetamine, a revolver, and a bolt-action rifle belonging to Hafesh. The suspected heroin from the controlled buys and the search was later determined to contain fentanyl.
On October 21, 2021, Hafesh was stopped by a law enforcement officer who seized 36 grams of heroin and $1,460 in cash from Hafesh’s person and vehicle. On April 7, 2022, law enforcement officers again executed a search warrant at a residence in Beaver and found 56 grams of suspected heroin, 33 grams of methamphetamine, 62 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” $1,042 in cash and several firearms. The suspected heroin found during the search was later determined to contain fentanyl. Hafesh further admitted to telling officers on the day of that search that he had been selling a significant amount of suspected heroin during the previous several months.
Hafesh is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. 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), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and former Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-68.
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Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kamaria J. Mitchell, 33, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mitchell admitted to selling more than 5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant outside of her residence on November 16, 2020. The methamphetamine was tested DEA Laboratory and confirmed to weigh 27.9 grams and was 98% pure.
Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 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 Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which is composed of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Beckley Police Department, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-49.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jamal Johnson, 32, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 20, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence and found approximately 832 grams of heroin, 178 grams of methamphetamine, and three firearms: a Colt, model Army Special, .38-caliber revolver; an Eagle Arms, model Eagle-15, multi-caliber rifle; and a Romarm/Cugir, model WASR-10, 7.62 caliber rifle.
Johnson admitted to possessing and intending to sell the heroin and methamphetamine, and to possessing the firearms. At the time of this offense, Johnson was serving a term of supervised release for his conviction for distribution of cocaine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 27, 2015.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison as well as at least 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 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 are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-13.
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Wayne County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jotesa Ruth Porter, 33, of Kenova, pleaded guilty today to making false statements in the acquisition of firearms and disposing of firearms to a person convicted of a felony.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2020, Porter straw purchased four firearms at a Huntington pawn shop: a Rock Island M1-1911 FS, .45-caliber pistol; a Taurus 1911, .45-caliber pistol; an Anderson AM-15, multi-caliber rifle; and a Spikes ST-15, .300-caliber rifle. Porter admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 for the purchase. Porter falsely certified that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing them for someone else.
Porter admitted that she provided the firearms to Corey Michael Perkins, 33, of Huntington. Perkins had picked out the firearms in advance, directed Porter to purchase them, provided her with the necessary money, and induced her to falsify the ATF form. Perkins knew he could not purchase the firearms himself because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Cabell County Circuit Court on January 10, 2013. Perkins was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for aiding and abetting the illegal straw purchase of firearms on August 22, 2022.
Porter is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 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 ATF and the Huntington Police Department.
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-55.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Anthony Wellman, 38, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 7, 2021, Wellman sold approximately 4.8 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a parking lot off of U.S. Route 60 in Huntington. Wellman admitted to selling the fentanyl and to possessing an additional 15.2 grams of fentanyl during the transaction that he also intended to sell.
Wellman is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-102.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Virgil Montell-Denzel Watkins, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to the distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Watkins admitted to selling approximately one 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 to 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.
Watkins is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five to 40 years in prison as well as up to 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).
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-74.
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TOMORROW: United States Attorney’s Office Co-Sponsoring West Virginia Civil and Human Rights SummitRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is co-sponsoring “Building Bridges: West Virginia Civil and Human Rights Summit” with the City of Charleston on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. West Virginia State University is hosting the event.
The summit begins at 9 a.m. with opening remarks from U.S. Attorney Thompson, Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin and West Virginia State University President Dr. Ericke Cage. The morning will also feature recorded remarks by U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke and an overview of federal hate crime enforcement actions. Afternoon sessions will cover breaking down barriers created by racial bias, civil rights and people with disabilities, civil rights and domestic terrorism, human rights and fair housing, and deprivation of rights under color of law violations.
The summit is sponsored in partnership with: the Charleston Police Department; Disability Rights of West Virginia; Fairness West Virginia; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Islamic Association of West Virginia; Legal Aid of West Virginia; the West Virginia NAACP; Temple Israel WV; the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development; the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence; the West Virginia Council of Churches; the West Virginia Department of Education; the West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council; the West Virginia Human Rights Commission; the West Virginia State Police; and YWCA Charleston.
WHAT: Building Bridges: West Virginia Civil and Human Rights Summit
WHEN: Wednesday, September 28, 2022, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
WHERE: West Virginia State University, Institute; P. Ahmed Williams Auditorium, Ferrell Hall, and James C. Wilson University Union.
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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Former Tri-State Airport Official Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Melissa Sue Hall, 46, of South Point, Ohio, was sentenced today to five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release with the first five months on home detention with electronic monitoring, for theft of federal funds. Hall was also ordered to pay $49,478.64 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from September 2017 until January 8, 2021, Hall was the finance director of Huntington Tri-State Airport and responsible for the accounting, depositing and withdrawing of funds from multiple revenue sources including ATMs and vending machines. Hall admitted that between May 2020 and January 8, 2021, she stopped depositing the full amounts she collected from these machines into the airport’s bank accounts. Hall further admitted that she took money from those bank accounts intended for deposit in the ATMs. During this time period, Tri-State Airport received at least $10,000 per year in federal funding, which was deposited in its bank accounts. Hall admitted to diverting nearly $49,500.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Huntington Tri-State Airport Police and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:22-cr-54.
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AARP discusses elder fraud with United States Attorneys Thompson and IhlenfeldRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The AARP of West Virginia hosted a town hall today so that its members could learn more about trends in elder fraud from the state's top federal law enforcement officials.
United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld shared their insight on the latest scams with hundreds of citizens during a conference call this morning. Each explained the efforts that they are undertaking to protect seniors and discussed notable cases they have prosecuted.
“This is a subject where the more education we can provide to our citizens, the better,” said U.S. Attorney Thompson. “These criminals are very, very good at what they do. They have the social engineering skills and know how to wreak havoc with people. There should be no embarrassment when you need to report these crimes and time is of the essence, particularly when you’re dealing with internet-based fraud. If you do feel that you are a victim, reach out to someone in law enforcement quickly so we can possibly get your money back.”
“Con artists continue to prey upon older West Virginians but the good news is that these crimes are preventable,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Seniors can protect themselves and their savings by being careful with whom they interact on the Internet, being skeptical of strangers who ask for money, and being cautious when providing a power of attorney.”
Victims over the age of 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2021, according to the FBI. Romance scams topped the list of crimes causing the greatest loss, followed by email compromise, investment schemes, and fake tech support calls.
For more information about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from elder fraud, go to https://justice.gov/elderjustice.
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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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Gipson, 59, was sentenced today to 11 years and two months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime on supervised release, for possession of child pornography and a violation of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 25, 2020, Gipson was living in a Charleston homeless facility when facility staff observed him in a common area looking at child pornography on his laptop. The staff summoned police, who recovered the laptop. A forensic analysis found more than 300 images depicting child pornography on the laptop. Gipson admitted that the laptop was his and that he knew he should not have possessed it.
Gipson was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. On March 5, 2012, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison and placed on lifetime supervised release. Today’s sentence of 11 years and two months incudes one year and two months for violating his lifetime supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Thompson also credited the shelter staff for their vigilance in protecting their facility and its residents.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-92.
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Two Sentenced to Prison for Key Roles in Multi-State Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced to prison for roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County, with one also sentenced for participating in a foiled Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.
Ramon David Alston, 42, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine. Brian Dangelo Terry, 37, of Charleston was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2020 until at least September 28, 2021, Alston sold 1-pound and multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from his Georgia residence to individuals including co-defendants from Charleston, West Virginia, as part of the DTO. Alston admitted that he knew these customers intended to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Alston further admitted that co-defendants Terry and Jonathan Gregory Bush visited his residence separately on July 19, 2021, and that he sold Bush a kilogram of methamphetamine. Bush was later stopped by police and arrested after being found in possession of the methamphetamine. Alston admitted to having sold approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine to Terry over the course of the DTO conspiracy.
Terry admitted to obtaining methamphetamine from Alston as well as from sources in Columbus, Ohio, for distribution in and around Charleston. Terry distributed more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine between March 2019 and August 3, 2021. Terry and co-defendant Treydan Leon Burks along with others pooled their money in order to obtain the drugs, used couriers to transport drugs and drug proceeds, and distributed the drugs to lower-level dealers and users.
Terry further admitted that he, Burks and co-defendants James Edward Bennett and Douglas Jonathan Wesley armed themselves at a Rand residence on July 4, 2021, and drove to Charleston’s West Side with the intent to murder someone. Alerted to the plot, police in marked cruisers converged on the area. The four men abandoned their vehicle in a Washington Street parking lot due to the increased police presence. Federal agents executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered four loaded firearms, including a Spike’s Tactical, Model SL15, .223-caliber pistol. Terry was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following felony convictions for malicious wounding on February 25, 2005, and possession with intent to deliver marijuana on March 8, 2011, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
The case is part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in the conviction of 17 individuals for various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Alston, Terry and 12 others pleaded guilty, including Burks and Bennett. Wesley and remaining co-defendants Timothy Wayne Dodd and Leo Antoine Smith were convicted at trial.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks 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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Putnam County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Laura Danielle Jackson, 32, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to two counts of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 17, 2018, Jackson was working at a South Charleston business when she obtained the personal identification information of an individual who applied for employment there. Between September 18, 2018, and September 27, 2018, Jackson applied for and received two separate credit cards with this individual’s stolen information and had the fraudulent credit cards mailed to her Hurricane residence. Jackson admitted that she activated the cards and purchased $10,626.70 in goods, merchandise and other items of value with them.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 42 years in prison, six years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the South Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:22-cr-16.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to More than 27 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Matthew Corban Hagy, 51, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 27 years and four months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for production and possession of child pornography. Hagy must also register as a sex offender.
A federal jury found Hagy guilty of one count each of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography on May 24, 2022. Evidence at trial established that Hagy traveled from Tennessee to Putnam County, West Virginia, as the caretaker for a man visiting family in Poca during the week of Christmas 2020. While there, Hagy took nude photographs of a 5-year-old boy and produced a graphic video of the boy. A search of Hagy’s phone revealed more than 700 additional images and videos of child pornography. In a statement given to police, Hagy admitted that he took a picture of the boy, but denied doing anything inappropriate.
“This individual did unspeakable harm to a child, and the sentence imposed today reflects that and makes sure that Hagy cannot prey on anyone else for a very long time,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “This is an important example of excellent casework and coordination by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the South Charleston Police Department, and the United States Secret Service. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Julie White and R. Gregory McVey for prosecuting the case.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-99.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kymoni Davis, also known as “Money,” 33, of Redford, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis admitted to possessing a Ruger & Co., model P95 DC, 9mm pistol on January 1, 2020. Davis had been ejected from a New Year’s Eve party at the Kulture Hookah Bar in Huntington on December 31, 2019. Sometime after midnight, Davis returned to the bar and fired the pistol through the front door, injuring seven individuals. Davis then fled the scene.
The shooting was captured on surveillance video, which 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.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
“This conviction shows that this office will not tolerate this type of violence around Huntington or any other part of this district,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department for their investigative work and Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey for prosecuting the case.”
“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, is one of the ways we accomplish our mission. This case demonstrates how violent offenders are removed from the street when they use firearms to commit violent crimes. I commend Huntington Police Department, ATF’s Charleston Field Office, and the prosecution team for their work to bring justice to the victims in this case.”
“The Huntington Police Department, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF and the Cabell County Prosecutor’s Office worked tirelessly to apprehend and prosecute Kymoni Davis,” said Huntington Police Chief Karl Colder. “I am thankful for the partnerships we have with these agencies that lead to such successful outcomes and protect Huntington from this type of gun violence and violent individuals. I also want to thank each of the individual detectives, agents and prosecutors who devote so much time and effort into these violent cases. We will continue working with the Cabell County Prosecutor’s Office to pursue state charges, which will include several violent felonies related to the events of that evening.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing.
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 Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Terrance Eric Foster, 45, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 15, 2022, law enforcement officers encountered Foster in a vehicle parked off of Morrow Road in Huntington. Foster was wearing an empty gun holster on his hip. Officers searched the vehicle and found a Smith & Wesson, 38 Special caliber revolver in the glove compartment. Foster admitted to possessing the firearm, which was later found to have been stolen.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Foster knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior convictions for domestic violence on a family or household member in Belmont County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on February 20, 2004, and for domestic violence on a family or household member in Belmont County, Ohio, Northern Division Court on October 9, 2002.
Foster is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-133.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua Dean Sprague, 42, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 4, 2022, law enforcement officers in Parkersburg attempted to pull over a vehicle driven by Sprague, who fled at a high rate of speed onto Interstate 77. The chase led to Seventh Street before Sprague lost control of his vehicle and crashed into another vehicle. A mother and her daughter were in the other vehicle and were treated for injuries at the scene. After crashing his vehicle, Sprague fled on foot but was apprehended. Sprague was in possession of a Ruger, model LCP, .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
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 is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20, 2022, 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 Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. 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. 2:22-cr-140.
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Maryland Man Ordered to Pay $90,000 for Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Oluwabamishe Awolesi, 29, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including 60 days on home detention, and ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution for receipt of stolen money.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Awolesi, also known as Oluwabamise Johnson, admitted to his role in a romance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 200 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $2.5 million. One victim of the scheme transferred a total of $90,000 into Awolesi’s checking account in September 2018. Awolesi kept $12,000 of the total and forwarded the rest to others involved in the scheme.
Awolesi, a citizen of Nigeria and the United States, lived in Huntington during his involvement in the scheme. Three indictments targeting the scheme allege that from 2016 to 2020, multiple defendants participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them. The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that they were in relationships with U.S. residents working abroad. However, the investigation revealed that the individuals the victims viewed as their romantic partners were false personas created by members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended 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.
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. to 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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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Curtis Leroy Hayes Jr., 47, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 10, 2021, law enforcement officers observed multiple suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions at a Fifth Avenue residence in Huntington involving an individual later identified as Hayes. When Hayes left the residence in a vehicle, officers initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. Hayes was arrested, and officers found approximately 6.4 grams of suspected heroin on his person. Hayes admitted to officers that he had been selling heroin for several months. Officers executed a search warrant at Hayes’ residence that day and recovered a loaded Bryco Arms, Jennings Model Nine 9mm pistol in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hayes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for first-degree murder and second-degree murder in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 19, 1995, and for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 27, 1995.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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. 3:21-cr-251.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marquette Damon Eanes, 50, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eanes admitted that he ran from law enforcement officers when they approached him on the 300 block of Olive Street in Huntington on December 12, 2019. The officers caught Eanes after a brief chase and recovered approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine from Eanes’ right vest pocket, a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol from his waistband, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver from his right pants leg. Eanes admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine and that he possessed the firearms to protect himself while selling it.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Eanes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime on February 3, 1998, and his two convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, on June 28, 2004, and May 25, 2011, all in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-306.
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Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Keith Nutter, 55, of Summersville, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2019, a law enforcement officer executed a search warrant at Nutter’s residence and found four firearms: a Rexio, SRL, .22-caliber revolver; a Harrington and Richardson 20-gauge shotgun; a Marlin, Model 25MN, .22-caliber rifle; and an Ithaca 20-gauge shotgun. Assorted ammunition was also recovered. Nutter admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Nutter knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior convictions for domestic violence in Canton, Ohio, Municipal Court on July 14, 1998, and endangering children and domestic violence on a family or household member in the Stark County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on August 19, 2002.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the case with assistance from third-year law student intern Eric McLain.
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-142.
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Indiana Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Steven Loren Mandrell, 44, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 20, 2021, law enforcement officers in Parkersburg pulled over a vehicle driven by Mandrell because it displayed a license plate for a different vehicle. As an officer approached the vehicle, Mandrell was seen leaning toward the steering wheel as if he was concealing something underneath the driver’s seat. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered two firearms under Mandrell’s seat, a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol and a Bul Transmark 9mm pistol. Mandrell admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Mandrell knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions: for delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful entry of a building in Wood County Circuit Court on January 27, 2010; and for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and failure to appear in Washington County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court on November 28, 2017.
Mandrell has a long criminal history across four states that totals 26 criminal convictions. His numerous misdemeanor convictions include battery, domestic battery, assault, prohibited possession of a firearm, fleeing from an officer, destruction of property, receiving or transferring stolen goods, contempt of court, and larceny.
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 David A. Faber 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. 2:21-cr-231.
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Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Caila Vance, 27, of Charleston was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vance sold more than 100 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a firearm to a confidential informant on February 8, 2022. The substance later tested positive as methamphetamine.
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 Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew 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-57.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Daniels, 52, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to filing a false federal income tax return, after reporting that his moving business had suffered losses when it had made a six-figure profit.
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.
Daniels is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Daniels also agreed that he owes $280,088 in restitution.
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. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson 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-126.
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Final Member of Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Sanders Jr., 30, of Ashland, Kentucky, was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sanders admitted to supplying co-defendants Matthew Edward Depew and Carlo Ramsey with methamphetamine that Depew and Ramsey redistributed in the Parkersburg area between June 2021 and September 2021. During this same time period, another co-defendant, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, supplied the DTO with fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana that originated in Chicago, Illinois.
Sanders pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The other defendants were sentenced to the following prison terms after pleading guilty to felony offenses:
- Carlo Ramsey, 57, of Chicago, Illinois, to nine years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
- Matthew Edward DePew, 31, of Zanesville, Ohio, to five years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
- Era Dawn Corder, 47, of Parkersburg, to three years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
- Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, 42, of Chicago, Illinois, to three years for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana;
- Ambera Roberts, 35, of Parkersburg, to one year and six months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The case resulted from a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” The investigation also yielded more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County.
“This successful prosecution dismantled a drug trafficking organization that inflicted much harm on this community,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The dedication and teamwork evident in this case underscores our resolve to prevent overdoses and protect lives.”
Thompson commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, the Russell, Kentucky, Police Department and the Raceland, Kentucky, Police Department.
“I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe, who prosecuted the case,” Thompson said.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.
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-163.
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Ohio Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeffrey Lee Ward Jr., 31, of Bellaire, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 4, 2022, Ward traveled from Ohio to Parkersburg, West Virginia, to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl in order to engage in sexual activity, including sexual intercourse. Ward had been communicating with the individual via an instant messaging app. Ward used the app to send a photo of his genitalia to the individual. When Ward showed up at their arranged meeting location, he was arrested.
Ward is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, five years 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald 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. 2:22-cr-51.
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Mercer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Torrey Hairston, 35, of Bluefield, West Virginia, 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, on March 19, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a domestic violence complaint at Hairston’s apartment. Officers encountered Hairston and found one firearm in Hairston’s pocket and a second firearm on the apartment floor. Hairston admitted to possessing both firearms, a Baretta Nano 9mm pistol and a Glock 26 9mm pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hairston knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in Mercer County Circuit Court on March 27, 2017.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bluefield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for conducting the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-233.
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McDowell County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Mercer County ArsonRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A McDowell County man was sentenced to prison and two other men pleaded guilty today in connection with an arson fraud scheme.
Douglas Vineyard, 36, of Welch, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud. Scott Meadows, 52, of Welch, and Christopher Gross, 44, of Bluefield, Virginia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 1, 2019, Vineyard bought a house on Princeton Street in Bluefield, West Virginia, for $5,000 at the direction of Gross. On July 31, 2019, Vineyard bought an insurance policy on the house with assistance from Gross, stating that the house’s purchase price had been $50,000. The insurance coverage included $285,500 for the dwelling, $142,750 for the contents and $14,275 for other structures.
In early August 2019, Vineyard, Gross and Meadows devised a scheme with others to burn down the house and collect the insurance proceeds. On August 6, 2019, Meadows set fire to the house with the help of two other individuals who were each offered $500 for their assistance. The house was a total loss. On August 16, 2019, Vineyard faxed a Sworn Statement of Proof of Loss seeking $285,500 in insurance proceeds for the house. The insurance company spent over $13,000 investigating Vineyard’s false claim, ultimately denying it.
Gross and Meadows are scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2023. Each 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 U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings. 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. 1:21-cr-131.
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McDowell County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Terry Headen, 47, of Havaco, McDowell County, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 10, 2021, Headen sold an amount of a controlled substance represented to be heroin to a confidential informant in Havaco. Headen admitted that he possessed an AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle during the drug transaction.
Headen is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2023, and faces mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-177.
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Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Alex Barrera, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison.
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 that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
Barrera is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2022, 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. 1:22-cr-151.
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Five Physicians Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes in Connection with HOPE ClinicRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Five physicians pleaded guilty in connection with prescription practices at HOPE Clinic, a purported pain management clinic that operated in Beckley, Beaver and Charleston, West Virginia, and Wytheville, Virginia.
Four of the physicians each pleaded guilty to a felony count of aiding and abetting obtaining a controlled substance by fraud: William Earley, D.O, 66, of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Brian Gullett, D.O., 45, of Clarksville, Pennsylvania; Roswell Tempest Lowry, M.D., 88, of Efland, North Carolina; and Vernon Stanley, M.D., 79, of Fayetteville, West Virginia.
Mark Clarkson, D.O., 64, of Princeton, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of aiding and abetting the misbranding of a drug involved in interstate commerce.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2010 until June 11, 2015, practitioners associated with HOPE (Hitech Opioid Pharmachovigilance Expertise) Clinic prescribed thousands of oxycodone- and morphine-based pills to individual customers. In some cases, these prescriptions provided an average of four to seven pills per day. Several HOPE Clinic locations averaged 65 or more customers a day during a 10-hour workday with only one practitioner working.
Gullett, Early and Stanley each signed multiple oxycodone prescriptions for a HOPE Clinic customer at the Charleston location for both 30 milligram and 15 milligram pills. The prescriptions were issued between March 13, 2013, and November 18, 2013, for a total of 390 pills. Gullett, Early and Stanley admitted that the customer’s medical chart did not support these prescriptions and that the prescriptions were not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional medical practice.
Lowry signed prescriptions for a HOPE Clinic customer in Charleston for 180 oxycodone pills at 20 milligram and 15 milligram doses on August 12, 2014. Lowry admitted that he intentionally did not read the customer’s chart to determine if those prescriptions were for a legitimate medical purpose. Lowry instead issued the same prescriptions as previous physicians had for the customer.
Gullett, Earley, Lowry and Stanley each admitted that these customers had multiple failed or abnormal drug screenings, reported being addicted to pain medication, bought pills on the street, and sold pills from their HOPE Clinic prescriptions to others. Gullett, Earley, Lowry and Stanley further admitted that they did not discuss the possibility of addiction or the need for addiction treatment with these customers.
Clarkson admitted to helping HOPE Clinic issue prescriptions after major retailers had stopped filling them and smaller pharmacies could not meet the supply and demand of Hope Clinic customers. Some local pharmacies were enlisted by Patients, Physicians and Pharmacists Fighting Diversion (PPPFD), which managed HOPE Clinic’s daily operations, to compound oxycodone and other Schedule II controlled substances for HOPE Clinic customers. Because of restrictions on compounding a commercially available drug, HOPE Clinic physicians were instructed to write prescriptions for compound oxycodone in milligram doses that were not commercially available.
Clarkson wrote compound oxycodone prescriptions for five different HOPE Clinic customers at the Virginia location between October 2014 and December 2014. All five prescriptions were filled at Adkins Pharmacy in Gilbert, West Virginia, for a total of 635 pills at 32 milligram or 16 milligram doses. Clarkson admitted that none of the five customers had a legitimate medical need for prescriptions at 32 milligram or 16 milligram doses, as there was no therapeutic difference between those doses and commercially available doses.
Adkins Pharmacy agreed to pay $88,085.73 in civil monetary penalties in 2020. The settlement agreement resolved allegations that Adkins Pharmacy violated the Controlled Substances Act by filling illegitimate compound opioid prescriptions issued by physicians affiliated with HOPE Clinic. Adkins Pharmacy also entered into a three-year compliance agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that imposes heightened reporting and oversight requirements and sanctions for non-compliance.
Gullett, Earley, Lowry, Stanley and Clarkson are scheduled to be sentenced on December 22, 2022. Gullett, Earley, Lowry and Stanley each face a maximum penalty of four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Gullett, Earley, Lowry and Stanley have also agreed to surrender their Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) certificates of registration and to not oppose revocation of their registration to dispense controlled substances. Lowry and Stanley have further agreed not to apply for re-registration, while Gullett and Early have agreed not to apply for re-registration to dispense Schedule II controlled substances. Clarkson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.
Gullett, Earley, Lowry, Stanley and Clarkson were initially indicted in 2018 along with the owners, managers and other physicians associated with HOPE Clinic and PPPFD. The remaining defendants are awaiting trial. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“These pleas show our office’s continuing effort to protect lives and prevent future overdoses through all means possible,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “A lot of effort has gone into this case.”
Thompson commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the West Virginia State Police, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Beckley Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, the Harrison County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (AHIDTA).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Monica Coleman, Steve Loew and Owen Reynolds are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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. 5:18-cr-26, 2:22-cr-167, 2:22-cr-168, 2:22-cr-169, 2:22-cr-170 and 2:22-cr-176.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Matthew Ryan Hunt, 34, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 9, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a domestic violence complaint at Hunt’s apartment. The officers forced entry after learning that shots had been fired inside the apartment. Hunt was found in a bedroom with a Smith & Wesson, model M&P 9 Shield, 9mm semi-automatic pistol next to him. Officers also found three additional firearms, and more than 5,800 rounds of ammunition, in a bedroom safe: an Anderson Manufacturing, model AM-15, semi-automatic rifle; a Savage, model Axis, .308-caliber semi-automatic rifle; and a Springfield, model XD45, .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol.
A woman was also in the apartment. Swabs taken from her face and hands and from Hunt’s face and hands all showed the presence of gunshot residue. Two spent shell casings found in the apartment were analyzed with assistance from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which indicated that the shells came from the firearm found next to Hunt.
Hunt admitted to possessing the four firearms. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hunt knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony conviction for breaking and entering in Wirt County Circuit Court on August 15, 2017.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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. 2:21-cr-267.
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