Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Johnathon Earl Hamrick, 33, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 4, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Hamrick’s residence and found more than 2 kilograms of methamphetamine. Hamrick admitted to possessing the methamphetamine found at the residence as well as at a second location that Hamrick directed officers to in Wood County. Hamrick admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine to other people.
The methamphetamine seized from Hamrick was part of a 10-pound shipment that he received from John Michael Wells II. Hamrick admitted that he owed Wells $50,000 for that shipment. In October and November 2021, Hamrick conspired with Wells to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana that Wells obtained from California by mail. Hamrick admitted to selling the methamphetamine and marijuana and providing Wells with the cash proceeds. In turn, Wells would order more methamphetamine and marijuana from his suppliers with the proceeds.
Wells, 33, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana on March 31, 2022, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Hamrick is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Parkersburg Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-139.
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Mingo County Woman Ordered to Pay Restitution for Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Diana Cisco, 70, of Delbarton, was ordered today to pay $46,356 in restitution for theft of government benefits and making materially false statements to federal agents. Cisco was also placed on probation for five years, with the first six months to be served on home detention.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cisco admitted that she received Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits on behalf of a deceased relative. Cisco knew that she was not entitled to receive these federal benefits. From June 2016 to April 2020, Cisco received $46,356 in federal benefits that she was not entitled to receive and converted those funds to her own use. Cisco further admitted that she did not have a legal right to these Social Security benefits once her relative passed away and that she knew her conduct in taking those benefits was wrong.
Cisco also admitted to providing false information to Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) special agents on March 4, 2022. Cisco initially denied who she was, falsely claiming to be her sister, and further informed the agents that Diane Cisco would be in Columbus, Ohio for at least a month. The federal agents were able to uncover the falsehood through checking vehicle registration records and photographs of Cisco and obtaining statements from individuals who had recently seen Cisco. Confronted again, Cisco admitted that she was not telling the agents the truth and that she was, in fact, Diana Cisco.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General and the Social Security Administration.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-88.
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Jackson County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Social Security Income BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Monique Casto, 37, of Kenna, was sentenced today to 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for fraudulently obtaining Social Security Administration benefits. Casto was also ordered to pay $41,166 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Casto unlawfully collected $41,166 in Social Security Survivor’s Insurance Benefits payments on behalf of a child after losing custody of that child.
Social Security representative payee benefits are based on income and living arrangements. The benefits require that the SSA money received actually be used for the well-being of the child. They also create a duty on the recipient to report a change in living arrangements.
In March 2006, Casto began receiving benefits for the care of the child as the child’s representative payee. Casto failed to disclose that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources took custody of the child in June 2015. Casto also failed to disclose that her parental rights were terminated in May 2016. Casto unlawfully collected benefits while continuing to represent that the child lived with her and in her care from June 2015 through August 2019.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and SSA-Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-137.
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Final Two Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Concluding a case that secured convictions against all 19 defendants, an Ohio man and a Huntington woman were sentenced to prison for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and other illegal drugs in the Huntington area.
Brayan Luces, 25, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Kimberly Ann Combs, 45, of Huntington, was sentenced to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxycodone.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from May to July 2021, Luces regularly shipped a minimum of 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 1 kilogram of cocaine to Huntington. The fentanyl and cocaine were transported by vehicle and provided to an individual on consignment. After the drugs were sold in the Huntington area, Luces would receive the drug proceeds, which were transported by vehicle to Columbus.
On July 22, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Luces’ residence in Columbus and seized 13 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately $26,484 in cash, two firearms, and various magazines and ammunition.
Combs admitted that she bought 104 30-milligram oxycodone pills from co-defendant William Raeshaun Byrd at his Huntington residence on July 23, 2021. When Combs left Byrd’s residence, law enforcement officers stopped her vehicle and recovered the oxycodone pills. Combs further admitted that she received oxycodone pills from Byrd on at least 10 other occasions in June and July 2021, and provided some of those pills to another individual.
This successful prosecution disrupted a conspiracy that distributed a variety of drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (also known as “crack”), oxycodone, and heroin. Law enforcement officers seized more than 47 pounds of fentanyl, 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 4.5 pounds of cocaine and 2 pounds of heroin as well as 14 firearms and more than $335,000 in cash.
“Tremendous dedication and teamwork removed massive volumes of deadly drugs from one of our most vulnerable and hard-pressed communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “It is critical that we target the supply side as we reduce overdose deaths and obstacles to recovery, and this is a prime example of an effective prosecution toward that end.”
"This investigation demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement at all levels to investigate and prosecute those who pollute local neighborhoods with dangerous drugs,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “This investigation effectively dismantled a multi-state drug trafficking organization that chose to set up operations in the Huntington area. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to rid the streets of these criminals and make our communities safer for all citizens.”
The other defendants were sentenced to the following prison terms after pleading guilty to various felony offenses:
- William Raeshaun Byrd, 32, of Huntington, to 15 years for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine;
- Marvin Jerome Calvin, 41, of Huntington, to six years and six months for distribution of fentanyl;
- Mark Anthony Chandler, 31, of Huntington, to four years and four months for possession with intent to distribute cocaine;
- Donald Duane Cole, 52, of Huntington, to five years and 10 months possession with intent to distribute cocaine base;
- Robert Lamont Congleton, 42, of Huntington, to six months for being a felon in possession of a firearm;
- Reginald Jerome Hairston, 45, of Huntington, to four years and four months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine;
- Marcus Allen Johnson, 37, of Huntington, to two years using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense;
- Erica Antoinette Kirker, 35, of Huntington, to seven years and six months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Aaron Scott Midkiff, 27, of Huntington, to six years and five months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine;
- Edward Shane Midkiff, 35, of Huntington, to three years and one month for distribution of methamphetamine;
- Scott Lee Midkiff, 36, of Huntington, to 17 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl;
- William Edward Nellons Jr., 38, of Huntington, to three years and 10 months for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl;
- Leonard Brandon Joe Rice, 36, of Louisa, Kentucky, to two years for using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense;
- Dennis Wayne Snyder, 32, of Hurricane, to seven years for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine;
- Ricky Lee Taylor, 58, of Charleston, to two years for using a telephone to facilitate a felony controlled substance offense;
- Christopher Leon Vest, 34, of Huntington, to 12 years and six months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine;
- Dillon Andrew Young, 29, of Sissonville, to two years and six months for use of a communications facility in committing, causing, and facilitating a felony controlled substance offense.
Thompson commended the investigative work of the FBI and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
“I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans for their tenacious prosecution of this case that ensured guilty pleas from each and every defendant,” Thompson said.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
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.
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-109 and 3:22-cr-7.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Treydan Leon Burks, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine after participating in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Burks obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from out-of-state for distribution in and around Charleston. Burks admitted to distributing between 3 and 11 pounds of methamphetamine between late 2020 and Sept. 28, 2021. Burks and co-defendant Brian Dangelo Terry pooled 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.
Burks further admitted that he, Terry, James Edward Bennett III and Douglas Johnathan Wesley armed themselves at Burks’ residence in Rand on July 4, 2021, and drove to Charleston’s West Side where they intended to shoot another man. 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, including an AR-style semi-automatic rifle with a drum magazine.
This case is part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in 17 individuals being charged with various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Burks, Terry, Bennett, and 11 others pleaded guilty. Wesley, Timothy Wayne Dodd and Leo Antoine Smith were convicted at trial.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-171 and 2:21-cr-211.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joe Butler, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 8, 2021, Butler aided and abetted Rance McNeil in the distribution of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at McNeil’s residence in Charleston. In early 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted several controlled buys involving Butler and McNeil. On May 18, 2021, DEA agents executed a search warrant at McNeil’s residence and seized large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine as well as more than $20,000 in drug proceeds. Butler admitted to working as a runner for McNeil, who had been distributing bulk quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. McNeil was sentenced to 14 years in prison on March 15, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the DEA.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston 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. 2:21-cr-258.
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United States Attorney Will Thompson to Hold Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson, along with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Scott Argiro and other law enforcement officials, will hold a press conference at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, to announce the successful prosecution of a drug trafficking organization (DTO).
WHERE: Sidney L. Christie Federal Building
845 Fifth Avenue
Huntington, West Virginia
WHEN: Wednesday, September 7, 2022, at 12 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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United States Attorney Announces $907,074.64 Health Care Fraud SettlementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) announced today that Dr. Craig M. Morgan and Eye Consultants of Huntington Inc. have paid $907,074.64 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
From January 13, 2013 through April 12, 2019, Morgan routinely administered vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor injections into the eyes of patients to treat purported wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet-AMD) or other ophthalmological conditions for which treatment with such injections is indicated. These injections were not medically necessary because the patients in question did not have treatable Wet-AMD or any other condition that would have warranted the invasive treatment at the time it was administered.
“This settlement is important because it shows that this office, along with its federal partners, will aggressively seek re-imbursement when taxpayer money is spent wrongly,” Thompson said. “When a person goes to a medical provider, they expect the medical provider to treat them, not for the medical provider to figure out ways to enrich themselves.”
Morgan was identified by HHS-OIG as one of the top outliers for billing the Medicare program across all medical specialists in West Virginia, far exceeding the average of Medicare claims submitted by his peers. The vast majority of payments Morgan received from Medicare were for injections for purported treatment of Wet-AMD.
“Providers who perform medically unnecessary procedures damage the trust of physician-patient relationships and exploit taxpayer-funded programs,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon. “HHS-OIG, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to working together to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Task Force, which brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from numerous agencies to coordinate intelligence sharing and prosecution of health care fraud impacting Medicare, Medicaid, and other public health care programs.
“I commend their investigative work and the handling of this case by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Neil, Matthew Lindsay, and Jennifer Mankins,” Thompson said.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Straw Firearm PurchaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Whitney Kathlyn Hershey, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for making false statements in the acquisition of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hershey bought a Glock, Model 27, .40-caliber pistol from a Huntington pawn shop on February 14, 2020. Hershey admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473. Hershey certified that she was the purchaser of the firearm when Hershey knew she was buying it for someone else.
Hershey further admitted to stating on the forms that she was the actual purchaser when she was not while buying firearms at Huntington pawn shops on three other occasions: a Ruger AR556 .300-caliber pistol on April 13, 2020; a Century Arms 7.62x39mm pistol on April 14, 2020; and a Taurus Model PT111, G2A 9mm pistol on July 1, 2020.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey 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-23.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Devonte Jamer McItyer, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McItyer admitted to selling approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on October 2, 2019. Following the transaction, a law enforcement officer pulled over a vehicle in which McItyer was a passenger. The officer found approximately 142 grams of methamphetamine under McItyer’s seat. McItyer admitted to placing the drugs there for later distribution. McItyer further admitted to possessing a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol also found in the vehicle.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force, and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is 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.
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-243.
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Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Danny Griffy, 57, of Sylvester, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility, identified as a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from April 8, 2018, until approximately April 17, 2018, Griffy aided the theft of specialized mine equipment from the known mine, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage. Griffy admitted to helping to steal equipment including pumps needed to treat water at the known mine site before it could be safely discharged into surrounding streams. Griffy further admitted to selling pieces of stolen equipment and receiving the proceeds.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson 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-14.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Austin Michael Light, 21, of Beaver, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2021, law enforcement officers received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding possible child pornography uploaded to a Google Mail account. The investigation led officers to Light. On August 18, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Light’s residence and seized several electronic devices including Light’s cell phone.
A forensic analysis of Light’s cell phone revealed nine images and 49 videos of minors and prepubescent minors, including infants, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Several of the videos were of adults sexually assaulting prepubescent minors and of minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Light admitted to downloading the child pornography from the internet from January 2020 until at least August 18, 2021. Light further admitted to attempting to upload a video depicting child pornography to the internet on January 26, 2021.
Light is scheduled to be sentenced on December 22, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, five years to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Light must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-259.
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Man Sentenced to Prison for Interstate Stolen Property CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Millard Patrick, 53, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Patrick admitted to participating in a scheme with Mindy Turner, 51, to obtain vehicles totaling approximately $172,950 in value from car dealerships in Kentucky and West Virginia.
On June 28, 2021, Turner passed a bad check at a Louisville, Kentucky, dealership so she and Patrick could obtain a 2020 Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $53,500. Patrick told the sales person that he was a veteran United States Marshal.
The following day, Patrick and Turner transported the 2020 Ford Explorer to West Virginia and attempted to trade it at a Charleston dealership for a more expensive Ford F-250. Patrick told a dealership employee that he worked for the United States Marshals Service. Patrick further told the employee that an armed deputy U.S. Marshal would deliver a check in two days to pay for the trade in, and asked that employee to hold a personal check as collateral. Law enforcement officers were summoned to the dealership and Patrick and Turner were arrested.
On July 14, 2021, while out on bond, Turner and Patrick passed a bad check at a Hurricane dealership to obtain a Jeep Cherokee with an approximate value of $60,056.22. The following day, the pair passed a bad check at a Ripley dealership to obtain a new Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $59,393.48. That same day, Patrick and Turner attempted to obtain a Ford F-150 with an approximate value of $64,108.24 from a Hurricane dealership. They were turned away when the check did not clear.
Turner previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of stolen property on April 14, 2022, and was sentenced to one year in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the assistance provided by the Charleston Police Department, the Hurricane Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisville, Kentucky, Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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-18.
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Fayette County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brittany Ellen Flint, 33, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Flint admitted that she sold approximately 6.8 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Oak Hill on January 10, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, and the Oak Hill Police Department for conducting the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the sentence. Former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-35.
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Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Beverly, 46, of Whitesville, Boone County, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for attempting to damage the property of an energy facility, identified as a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
Beverly was found guilty by a federal jury following a two-day trial According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Beverly helped to steal specialized mine equipment from the known mine in May and June 2019, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-260.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Liteef Hughes, 41, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to the distribution of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hughes admitted to selling a quantity of crack to a confidential informant at his Beckley residence on April 28, 2022. On May 5, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hughes’ residence, and found quantities of cocaine and crack and $1,667. Hughes admitted to possessing the cocaine and crack, and further admitted that the $1,667 was proceeds obtained from drug trafficking. The investigation revealed that Hughes had distributed cocaine for approximately two and a half years.
Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced on December 22, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank. W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States 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-105.
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West Virginia Sex Offender Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Robert McKinney, 37, of Logan, West Virginia, was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failing to update his sex offender registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to statements made in court, McKinney knew he was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction on three counts of third-degree sexual assault in Doddridge County Circuit Court on September 4, 2012. McKinney admitted that he moved from Logan to Belpre, Ohio, in August 2020, without registering his out-of-state move with the West Virginia sex offender registry or registering with Ohio, in violation of the requirements of SORNA. McKinney was discovered living in Ohio on April 7, 2021, and arrested.
McKinney was on parole for his Doddridge County convictions when he moved to Ohio. He will serve the sentence consecutively with a prison sentence imposed following the revocation of that parole. McKinley also has two prior convictions in West Virginia for failing to comply with West Virginia sex offender registration requirements.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service, West Virginia Parole Services, and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-253.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Roy Bills, 57, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day 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 24, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bills’ residence and found multiple firearms in the basement: a Diamondback 5.56mm AR-15 rifle; a Savage AXIS XP .308-caliber Winchester bolt-action rifle; a Derya Arms, model VR-80, 12-gauge shotgun; a GSG .22-caliber pistol; and a Beretta 96 .40-caliber pistol. Officers also located ammunition with the firearms. Bills admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bills knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute marijuana in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November, 7, 2016.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the West Virginia State Police.
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. 3:21-cr-60.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Chadd E. Worley, 44, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 8, 2020, Worley was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement in Beckley. Worley admitted to possessing approximately 23 grams of heroin found in the vehicle, and further admitted that he intended to distribute the heroin in and around Raleigh County.
Worley is scheduled to be sentenced on December 30, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Michigan.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk 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. 5:21-cr-112.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Dakota Anderson, 25, of Beckley, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography. Anderson must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement investigators received multiple CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in May and August 2020 regarding possible child pornography uploaded using the MeWe social media platform and the Dropbox file hosting service. The resulting investigation traced the uploads to Anderson, and he was arrested. Anderson admitted to possessing approximately 85 videos and 715 images depicting minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of sadistic abuse. Anderson admitted that he received and transmitted these images and videos via the internet, and that he would view and store them on his cell phone.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-145.
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Parkersburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Toni Johnson, 58, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence. Johnson admitted to possessing approximately 82 grams of fentanyl found during the search, and further admitted that she intended to distribute it.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-129.
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Ghanaian National Ordered to Pay $156,073 in Restitution for Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Banabas Ganidekam, 25, of Ghana, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including eight months on home detention with electronic monitoring, and ordered to pay $156,073 in restitution for wire fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ganidekam admitted to his role in a romance fraud scheme. From June 2019 until at least May 14, 2020, Ganidekam received approximately $189,404 from at least 14 victims who were convinced to send the money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons. The victims include a woman who in January and February 2020 sent thousands of dollars to a false persona she believed was her boyfriend.
Ganidekam admitted to receiving the fraudulent proceeds through his bank account in Ohio, where he lived at the time, via wire transfers and personal and cashier’s checks. Ganidekam further admitted to transferring a portion of these fraudulent proceeds to his bank account in Huntington, and to keeping some of the victims’ money for himself while forwarding some to others in the United States and abroad.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of 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 R. Gregory McVey and Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm 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-0071.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man were sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other illegal drugs in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Marvin Jerome Calvin, 41, admitted that he sold approximately 1.8 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington on July 6, 2020. Calvin further admitted that he distributed cocaine base, also known as “crack,” to a confidential informant on June 25 and 26, 2020. On August 6, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Calvin’s residence in Huntington and recovered approximately 1.6 grams of cocaine. Calvin admitted that he intended to sell the cocaine.
Calvin pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl. The case is the result of a long-term investigation that disrupted the DTO and its distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and crack. All 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is 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.
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-109.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Lee Graves II, 38, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Graves’ residence. Graves admitted that he possessed three loaded firearms found during the search: an Eagle Arms AR15 .223-caliber rifle; a Springfield XDS 9mm pistol; and a Taurus Judge Public Defender, .45/.410-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Graves knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 22, 2014.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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 Nos. 3:21-cr-181.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Bobby James Mitchell, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to six years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and violating his supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 11, 2021, a Hurricane Police officer pulled over a vehicle driven by Mitchell on Interstate 64 in Putnam County. Mitchell admitted that the officer found 499 pills containing approximately 54 grams of fentanyl in the vehicle. Mitchell further admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.
Mitchell was previously convicted of distributing heroin in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 21, 2016. Today’s prison sentence includes one year and one month for committing crimes while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Hurricane Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-71.
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Kentucky Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Homeowners in Three StatesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William T. Hurst, 45, of Morehead, Kentucky, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud. Hurst was also ordered to pay $35,218 in restitution to his eight victims.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hurst falsely agreed to build pole barns for a pair of residents in Putnam and Jackson counties in March 2021. Hurst received checks as down payments totaling $10,186. Hurst admitted that he cashed or deposited the checks at area banks for his personal use, with no intention of building either barn.
Hurst further admitted that between February 22, 2021, and March 23, 2021, he similarly scammed six other property owners in Ona and Lesage, Cabell County; Charleston, Kanawha County; Coolville and Willow Wood, Ohio; and South Shore, Kentucky. Hurst agreed to build a pole barn or other structure in each instance, but never began any work or bought any needed supplies. These residents paid Hurst a total of $25,032, which he kept for himself. Hurst eventually stopped communicating with the victims.
“This office takes fraud against homeowners and other individuals seriously, and this case reflects our commitment to hold scammers accountable,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for conducting the investigation, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia Department of Revenue for providing assistance, and Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich for the case’s successful prosecution.”
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-41.
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Indiana Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Stefanie Marie Wells, 37, of Jasonville, Indiana, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identify theft, after obtaining or attempting to obtain $17,550 using stolen checkbooks and driver’s licenses at West Virginia banks.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wells wrote a $2,700 check from a stolen checkbook and cashed it at a bank in Mount Hope by presenting a stolen driver’s license on October 19, 2020. Wells admitted to obtaining the stolen license and checkbook some time prior to October 19, 2020.
Wells further admitted to cashing three additional checks totaling $7,400 from the stolen checkbook on October 19, 2020. Wells used the same stolen driver’s license to cash the stolen checks at banks in Beaver and Beckley, and a different stolen driver’s license to cash the third stolen check at a Montgomery bank. Wells admitted to unsuccessfully attempting to cash a $2,650 check from the stolen checkbook while using one of the stolen driver’s licenses at a Charleston bank on October 20, 2020. Wells also admitted to attempting to cash a $2,300 stolen check at a Beckley bank and attempting to withdraw $2,500 by presenting a stolen driver’s license at a Summersville bank on November 23, 2020. Both attempts were unsuccessful.
Wells is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $1,250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Park Police, the Beckley Police Department, and the Summersville Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-191.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dashea Lasal Thomas, 27, of Inkster, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thomas admitted to selling approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on November 6, 2019. Thomas further admitted to selling approximately 22 grams of methamphetamine to an informant on October 28, 2019, and approximately 4 grams of fentanyl to an informant on December 4, 2019, both times in Huntington.
On May 11, 2021, Thomas was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement officers in Huntington. Thomas admitted to possessing approximately 4 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and $3,500 in cash found in the vehicle. Thomas further admitted that he intended to sell the crack for money, and that the cash was drug proceeds.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on November 28, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-37.
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Lincoln County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Lincoln County man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Randall Jim Hughes, 37, of Alkol, on an outstanding warrant. During the arrest, two baggies containing approximately 23 grams of fentanyl fell from Hughes’ person. Hughes admitted that he possessed the fentanyl and intended to distribute it. Hughes further admitted that officers seized two loaded firearms from him.
Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani and former United States Attorney Nick Miller have prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-205.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dillon Andrew Young, 29, of Sissonville was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Huntington that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Young admitted that he spoke to co-defendant Scott Lee Midkiff on April 9, 2021, using the cell phone of another individual. Midkiff asked Young to bring the phone to him because Midkiff believed that the owner of the phone had stolen a quantity of drugs and money from him. Young agreed to bring the phone to Midkiff in exchange for money and 10 grams of methamphetamine. When Young entered Midkiff’s Huntington residence, law enforcement seized the phone and arrested Midkiff.
Midkiff was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Young pleaded guilty to use of a communications facility in committing, causing, and facilitating a felony, controlled substance offense. The case is the result of a long-term investigation that disrupted the DTO. All 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is 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.
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-109.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Federal Drug, Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Corey Michael Perkins, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to have drugs smuggled into the Western Regional Jail. In a separate case, Perkins was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for aiding and abetting the illegal straw purchase of firearms. The two sentences will run concurrently.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from November to December 2020, Perkins coordinated with multiple individuals to get drugs into the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville. Perkins admitted to using jail phone calls, which were recorded, to arrange for a package containing 228 suboxone strips, 1.4 grams of fentanyl/methamphetamine mixture, and 1 gram of methamphetamine to be transported into the jail. Perkins utilized an inmate and a person who worked at the jail to carry out the scheme. Perkins was aware that the drugs were intended for redistribution in the jail, and that he would receive money in exchange for the drugs.
Perkins further admitted to arranging for another person to buy four firearms for him at a Huntington pawn shop. On June 30, 2020, Perkins picked out the four firearms: 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. Perkins told an employee he would send someone to purchase the firearms. Perkins admitted that he aided, abetted, counseled, and induced that straw purchaser to falsely state and represent on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms. Perkins was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms. Perkins further admitted to providing the straw purchaser with the necessary cash to buy the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. 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 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute suboxone, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, and to aiding and abetting the making of false statements in the acquisition of firearms.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the ATF, the West Virginia State Police, the Huntington Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Investigations Unit.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the cases.
The drug case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that seeks 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. 3:21-cr-215 and 3:22-cr-56.
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South Charleston Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Prison for Major Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Wayne Dodd, 46, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to 21 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for helping to operate a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy in and around St. Albans and South Charleston during the summer of 2021.
A federal jury found Dodd guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 24, 2022. Evidence at trial revealed that Dodd and co-defendant Shane Kelly Fulkerson divided large shipments of methamphetamine into pound and half-pound quantities for local dealers to distribute. Fulkerson would travel to Kentucky approximately once per week to obtain 20 or more pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Dodd collected and paid Fulkerson $137,740 in drug proceeds between July 10, 2021, and August 11, 2021.
Trial evidence further showed that Dodd continued to collect drug proceeds for Fulkerson following Fulkerson’s arrest and detention on August 12, 2021. Dodd also removed evidence from Fulkerson’s residence following Fulkerson’s arrest but prior to law enforcement officers arriving with a search warrant.
Fulkerson was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison on June 16, 2022. Dodd and Fulkerson are among 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments resulting from a long-term investigation the methamphetamine conspiracy. All 17 defendants have been convicted.
Dodd was on parole at the time he committed this offense, and has prior felony convictions for drug crimes:
- For attempting to manufacture methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 31, 2002.
- For attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Roane County Circuit Court on October 27, 2014.
- For possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine in Kanawha Circuit Court on November 26, 2019.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted 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.
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-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Jason Pearson, 32, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pearson admitted to possessing approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine at his First Street residence in Dunbar on July 13, 2022. Pearson further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others, and that he previously obtained at least 3 pounds of methamphetamine and sold smaller quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant between June 6, 2022, and July 8, 2022.
Pearson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, as well as five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-156.
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Greenbrier County Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Andrew Allen Arnold, 35, of White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced today to four years and three 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 February 7, 2019, a law enforcement officer responded to a reported domestic disturbance at a White Sulphur Springs convenience store. The officer encountered Arnold engaged in an altercation with a woman. Arnold denied possessing any weapons when questioned by the officer, who then searched Arnold and found a loaded Charter Arms Shelton, CT .38-caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number in Arnold’s right front pants pocket.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arnold admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for eluding in the Circuit Court of Allegheny County, Virginia, on March 4, 2016.
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 White Sulphur Springs Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andy Isabell and former Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Jeffrey 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-197.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leon Eugene Smith, Jr., 41, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith admitted to selling approximately 0.5 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant in Lanark, Raleigh County, for $80 on September 15, 2020. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.
Smith further admitted to selling approximately 1.3 grams of heroin on September 17, 2020, and approximately 1 gram of heroin on September 23, 2020, each time to a confidential informant in Lenark for $160.
Smith will serve the sentence consecutively with a prison sentence of one year and eight months imposed for a supervised release revocation on April 15, 2021. Smith had been on supervised release for his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 8, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-184.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brian Martell Smith, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and to possession of a firearm with a removed, obliterated, or altered serial number.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 11, 2021, law enforcement officers encountered Martell at Marcum Terrace apartments in Huntington. Martell admitted to possessing a Lorcin L9MM 9mm pistol that he threw away while attempting to flee from the officers, who recovered the firearm. Martell further admitted that the firearm’s manufacturer serial number had been removed, obliterated, or altered.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Smith knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver/manufacture less than 50 grams of cocaine on August 25, 1999, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and weapons felony firearm on September 18, 2008, both in Michigan Third Judicial Circuit Court.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney 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-76.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a foiled Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.
A federal jury found Wesley guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 26, 2022. Evidence at trial established that Wesley was one of four men who armed themselves at a Rand residence on July 4, 2021, and drove to Charleston’s West Side where they intended to shoot another man. 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. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered four loaded firearms. The jury found Wesley possessed one of those firearms, a Sig Sauer, Model SP2022, .40-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wesley knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions:
- For first-degree robbery, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 4, 2005. Wesley participated in the armed robbery of the Empty Glass Café on Elizabeth Street in Charleston on May 2, 2004.
- For being a felon in possession of a firearm, in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 10, 2013. Wesley shot a known individual near the Kickback Lounge located on Central Avenue in Charleston on February 5, 2012. Wesley left the scene of the shooting and returned a few minutes later where he shot the same individual a second time. The victim was seriously wounded, but survived. The incident was captured on video surveillance from a neighboring building. Wesley was on supervised release for this conviction at the time of the July 2021 murder scheme.
Wesley is among 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments resulting from a long-term investigation of a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy operating in and around St. Albans and South Charleston. All 17 defendants have pleaded guilty or were otherwise convicted.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-172.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Snook, 47, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, admitted to possessing a Hi-Point, Model C, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Charleston on August 3, 2020. Snook further admitted to possessing a .22-caliber rifle that had been modified to be less than 26 inches in length on that date.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Snook knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver heroin in Kanawha County Circuit Court on November 14, 2017.
Snook is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-10.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Structuring Financial TransactionsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gary McComas, 26, of Chesapeake, Ohio, admitted that he obtained multiple money orders in the Huntington, West Virginia area to help an individual in California evade financial reporting requirements. Federal law requires financial institutions to report certain information to the Department of the Treasury whenever a person exchanges cash for a money order in the amount of $3,000 in one transaction or a series of transactions. On June 28, 2018, McComas obtained six money orders, each for $500, from three different Huntington businesses for the purpose of evading financial reporting requirements. McComas further admitted to conducting approximately 200 money order transactions totaling $99,400 in and around Huntington for the same purpose between June 28, 2018, and January 13, 2019.
McComas is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service and the assistance provided by the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:22-cr-144.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –A Kanawha County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Hudson, 50, of St. Albans, admitted to participating in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County. As part of this conspiracy, Hudson sold approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on March 22, 2019. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hudson’s residence on March 23, 2019, and recovered approximately 230.8 grams of pure methamphetamine and $5,160 in cash that included marked bills from the previous day’s controlled buy.
Hudson further admitted to possessing a SWD Cobray, model M11/9, 9mm pistol in St. Albans on May 22, 2021. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hudson admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions, including for attempt to commit a felony in Jackson County Circuit Court on June 30, 2006.
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. Hudson and 13 others pleaded guilty. The remaining three, Timothy Wayne Dodd, Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith, were convicted at trial.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is 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.
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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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Lamont Congleton, 42, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 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, Congleton admitted to possessing a loaded Taurus, Model PT111 G2, 9mm pistol, that law enforcement officers found in his residence on July 29, 2021.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Congleton knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for attempt to commit a felony – delivery of a controlled substance in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 26, 2015.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-109.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joseph Ira Patterson III, 38, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and a fentanyl analogue.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Patterson admitted that he sold approximately 8 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on March 29, 2021, and again on April 21, 2021. Patterson agreed to deliver more methamphetamine to the confidential informant in Charleston. On April 22, 2021, Patterson was driving in Charleston for that meeting when law enforcement officers stopped his vehicle. A search of Patterson’s vehicle yielded 907.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Patterson admitted he had obtained methamphetamine from a Huntington storage unit prior to traveling to Charleston. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for the unit and seized 282.97 grams of methamphetamine, 231.7 grams of a fentanyl analogue, and 15.70 grams of cocaine as well as nine firearms and drug paraphernalia. Officers also searched Patterson’s Jackson Avenue residence in Huntington and seized 58.345 grams of methamphetamine, 7.50 grams of a fentanyl analogue, 42.53 grams of marijuana and 18.51 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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. 3:21-cr-218.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Donnie Earl Jefferson Jr., 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jefferson admitted that he possessed a Remington, model RM380, .380-caliber pistol in his pants pocket when law enforcement officers arrested him in Huntington on September 28, 2021.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jefferson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 17, 2012.
Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Marshals Service.
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-48.
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Federal Jury Finds Man Guilty in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After three days of trial, a federal jury convicted Abdul Inusah, 31, of Ghana, for his role in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded individuals in multiple states through the use of false online personas.
Evidence at trial revealed that Inusah was part of a conspiracy that targeted victims using false personas via email, text messaging, and online dating and social media websites. From at least January 2018 through at least December 2019, the scheme sought to induce victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship, or business relationship with the various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.
One false persona, “Miarama,” was used to induce an Alabama resident into providing $106,000 via wire transfers and cashier’s checks. The amount included $48,000 to pay overdue taxes on a nonexistent gold inheritance in Ghana and $21,000 wired to Bitsav Supply LLC, a shell company set up by Inusah. Another false persona, “Grace,” persuaded a Washington resident to wire funds so “Grace” could maintain her South African cocoa plantation and move to the United States to marry the victim. Other victims of the false personas included residents of Ohio and Florida.
The jury found Inusah guilty of receipt of stolen money, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of wire fraud. The wire fraud counts involve a pair of $2,000 Zelle wire transfers to Inusah from the money obtained using the “Miarama” false persona in January 2019.
“It is truly heartbreaking how this conspiracy exploited individuals who were particularly vulnerable, such as following the death of a longtime spouse,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Some of the victims did not recognize themselves as victims, and continued to believe these false personas were real and that they were in actual relationships. I commend the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey and our trial team for trying this complex fraud case before the jury.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial. Inusah is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov/.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm 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-70.
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Woman Sentenced to Prison for Interstate Stolen Property CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mindy Turner, 51, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Turner admitted to participating in a scheme with Millard Patrick, 53, to obtain vehicles totaling approximately $172,950 in value from car dealerships in Kentucky and West Virginia.
On June 28, 2021, Turner passed a bad check at a Louisville, Kentucky, dealership so she and Patrick could obtain a 2020 Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $53,500. The following day, the two transported that vehicle to West Virginia and were arrested after unsuccessfully attempting to trade that vehicle at a Charleston dealership for a more expensive Ford F-250. On July 14, 2021, while out on bond, Turner and Patrick passed a bad check at a Hurricane dealership to obtain a Jeep Cherokee with an approximate value of $60,056.22. The following day, the pair passed a bad check at a Ripley dealership to obtain a new Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $59,393.48. That same day, Patrick and Turner attempted to obtain a Ford F-150 with an approximate value of $64,108.24 from a Hurricane dealership. They were turned away when the check did not clear.
Patrick also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of stolen property, and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the assistance provided by the Charleston Police Department, the Hurricane Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisville, Kentucky, Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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-18.
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Putnam County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Michael Pritt, 40, of Buffalo, Putnam County, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Pritt must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 1, 2021, Pritt contacted another man online and arranged to pay him $150 in exchange for the man providing him with a 14-year-old girl for sexual intercourse. When Pritt arrived at the meeting location in South Charleston later that day, he was arrested.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task.
United States District Judge Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-200.
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Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison for Sex Offense Against A MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Virginia man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Austin James Quesenberry, 28, of Dublin, Virginia, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 21, 2021, Quesenberry traveled from Virginia to St. Albans, West Virginia, in order to meet a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, including sexual intercourse. He also sent the purported minor videos of himself masturbating.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-11.
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Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Nigerian national pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen money in connection with a fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, John Nassy, 29, admitted to participating in the scheme from June 2018 until at least May 2019 while he attended college in Huntington. Other members of the conspiracy created online false personas and contacted victims via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites. The conspirators sought to induce the victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship, or business relationship with various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas. Nassy admitted that he let victims transfer at least $148,000 to his bank accounts that he knew was from unlawful activity.
Nassy further admitted that after the victims’ funds were deposited in his accounts, he kept some of the money for himself and forwarded some of the money to his co-conspirators via the Zelle digital payments network. Nassy also transferred money to bank accounts located in Nigeria.
Nassy is among 10 men charged in four separate indictments with various fraud-related crimes in connection with the scheme. Six co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Charges remain pending against the other co-defendants. 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.
Nassy is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Nassy also agrees that he owes $148,000 in restitution.
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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting the case.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov/.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm 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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Mason County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Mason County man pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 11, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Joseph Curtis Hubman, 50, of Henderson. Officers recovered multiple external hard drives, mobile phones, two desktop computers and a micro SD memory card. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed more than 10,000 videos depicting child pornography. Hubman admitted that he possessed the child pornography, and that it included videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Hubman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Hubman must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Mason 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 Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-24.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tekoa Rivers, 22, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, admitted that he sold approximately 10 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on Third Avenue in Huntington on April 29, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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-27.
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