Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Wiretapping ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Logan County resident was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for prohibited interception of oral communications. Randall Dwight Holden II, 33, was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Holden admitted to secretly recording a video of a woman engaged in sexually explicit conduct in her Logan County home on November 25, 2017. The video was later uploaded to the internet without the victim’s knowledge. The video was one of several secretly recorded videos that Holden had created and posted online depicting the victim.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald 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-6.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Destruction of Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Charles Stanley, 51, of Shady Spring, admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and the 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 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-4.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ian Wyatt Justice, 20, of Huntington, was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2021, law enforcement officers were conducting a drug investigation and observed Justice enter a Charleston Avenue residence in Huntington. The officers executed a search warrant at the residence on that date and Justice, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested. During the search, officers seized a number of items, including fentanyl, three firearms, and items used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Justice admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl and that he had been selling fentanyl in Huntington in the months leading up to the search.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-9.
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Two Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Destruction of Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced to prison today for aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties. Christopher Priestley, 44, of Boone County, was sentenced to one year in prison while Earnest Wriston, 56, of Ohio, was sentenced to two years in prison. Both face three years of supervised release after their prison terms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Priestley, of Seth, and Wriston, of Sidney, Ohio, each admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-219 and 2:21-cr-269.
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Two Huntington Residents Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington residents were sentenced to prison today for federal drug crimes. Erica Antoinette Kirker, 35, was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Marcus Allen Johnson, 37, was sentenced to two years of prison to be followed by one year of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2021, Kirker possessed approximately 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 138 grams of fentanyl, and over $84,000 in cash at her Third Avenue residence. Kirker admitted to placing the items in a vehicle and parking the vehicle in a parking garage in downtown Huntington. Investigators conducted a search of the vehicle on that date and seized the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cash. Kirker admitted that she intended to sell the drugs and that the currency constituted proceeds from prior drug sales. Kirker pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Johnson admitted that on June 5, 2021, he used a telephone to assist a co-conspirator involved in cocaine sales in Huntington. Johnson admitted that he was contacted and enlisted by the co-conspirator to find purchasers for kilogram quantities of cocaine. During the calls, Johnson agreed to market the cocaine to prospective purchasers. Johnson pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
Kirker and Johnson are among 18 indicted individuals who have all pleaded guilty after a long-term investigation disrupted a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that had distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, oxycodone, heroin, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
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 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 sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
This case 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.
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Two Men Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Lawrence Lee Hart, 61, of Raleigh County, and Steven Alfred Bennett, 57, of Kanawha County, were each sentenced today to 10 years in prison for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Both face 20 years of supervised release following their prison sentences and each must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hart, of Glen Daniel, contacted another user on a dating app on October 1, 2021, who told Hart that she was only 13 years old and located in Beckley. After learning her age and that she was a virgin, Hart offered to teach her about sex. Over the next month, Hart engaged in extensive text and phone conversations with the girl during which he instructed her on masturbation, oral sex, and sexual intercourse. Hart also asked her to send him a sexually explicit image of herself and he sent her sexually explicit photographs of himself. On November 5, 2021, Hart was arrested when he went to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Hart pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
Bennett, of Montgomery, admitted that he responded to a Craigslist ad in October 2020 from a woman allegedly located in Beckley. During their conversations, Bennett arranged to meet the woman in Beckley and pay $150 to engage in sexual activity with an 11-year-old girl who the woman had stated was her daughter. Bennett skipped the arranged meeting after he saw a local news story about a man getting arrested for responding to the same Craigslist ad. A subsequent search of Bennett’s home located computers that contained suspected child pornography, including an image of a prepubescent female that Bennett had received during a 2016 Skype conversation. Bennett pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences, citing the deplorable and horrendous conduct in each case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the cases.
These cases were 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 Nos. 5:21-cr-254 and 5:21-cr-20.
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St. Albans Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Role in Kanawha County Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, 46, participated in a drug trafficking ring operating in and around St. Albans from March 2021 until September 2021. Fulkerson admitted that he distributed large quantities of methamphetamine that he obtained from out-of-state.
Fulkerson further admitted to selling more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to an informant on three occasions in July and August 2021. On August 11, 2021, Fulkerson fled on a motorcycle from law enforcement officers in Poca, Putnam County. He was arrested after dropping the motorcycle in a private yard near Winfield and fleeing on foot. Police recovered 95 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, and more than $70,000 from Fulkerson’s backpack. The next morning, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fulkerson’s St. Albans residence and seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 22 firearms as well as several vehicles that were used to facilitate drug trafficking or were purchased with drug proceeds.
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. Fulkerson and 13 others pleaded guilty: Ramon David Alston, James Edward Bennett III, Treydan Leon Burks, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Scott Edward Hudson, Jason Robert Oxley, Michael Antonio Smith, and Brian Dangelo Terry. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith were convicted on May 26, 2022, following a three-day jury trial. Dodd, Wesley and Smith are scheduled to be sentenced in August.
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 Nos. 2:21-cr-171, 2:21-cr-172, and 2:21-cr-211.
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Montana Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Montana man pleaded guilty today to two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2021, Gary Lee Hodges, 71, of Big Fork, Montana, contacted a woman in Beckley on a social networking website dedicated to individuals interested in sexual fetishes. Hodges learned that the woman had two daughters, ages 11 and 13. Hodges expressed interest in coming to West Virginia to establish a household with the woman and children, where he would engage in sexual activity with both minor females. Specifically, Hodges stated that he planned to engage in sexual intercourse and oral sex on a regular basis with both minor females.
During the next month, Hodges continued to make plans to travel to West Virginia to meet the woman and her daughters. To encourage the children to engage in sexual activity with him, Hodges sent them lingerie and other gifts and booked a trip to take them to Washington, D.C., to visit the zoo. Hodges reserved a hotel room in Beckley to meet the woman and the girls. Hodges flew to Charleston on January 14, 2022, where he was arrested.
Hodges is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, as well as five years to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and third-year law student intern Ryan Vick handled today’s plea hearing.
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. 5:22-cr-33.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 21, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Shady Spring residence of Larry Wayne Meadows, 70. Officers found approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, several grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, and a large assortment of prescription pills. Meadows admitted that he possessed these drugs with the intent to distribute them. Meadows further admitted to possessing four firearms that officers also found inside his residence.
Meadows is scheduled to be sentenced on October 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit (BRCDVCU).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner 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-99.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 30, 2016, Donald Ray Jackson, 38, of Columbus, assisted in the sale of what was purported to be heroin to a confidential informant in Huntington. A forensic chemist who analyzed the substance subsequently found it to contain a mixture of both heroin and fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge 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. 3:17-cr-183.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen money, for his role in a scheme that defrauded more than 200 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $2.5 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Oluwabamishe Awolesi, also known as Oluwabamise Johnson, 29, of Beltsville, Maryland, admitted that one victim of the scheme transferred a total of $90,000 into Awolesi’s checking account in September 2018. He kept $12,000 of the total and forwarded the rest to others involved in the scheme.
Awolesi lived in Huntington during his involvement in the scheme. Three indictments targeting the scheme allege that from 2016 to 2020, multiple defendants participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them. The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that they were in relationships with U.S. residents working abroad. However, the investigation revealed that the individuals the victims viewed as their romantic partners were false personas created by members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
At the early stages of the romance scams, the fraudsters frequently requested relatively small gifts, such as gift cards and cell phones from their victims. As the relationships continued, they requested increasingly larger sums of money from their victims. Mr. Awolesi opened bank accounts and received the proceeds of the romance scams through those accounts. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy also occasionally used cryptocurrency and celebrity meet-and-greet scams to obtain money from their victims.
Awolesi, a citizen of Nigeria and the United States, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,00 fine. As part of his plea, Awolesi agreed to pay $90,000 in restitution.
The cases are the result of a long-term investigation that spanned approximately two years. United States Attorney Will Thompson made today’s 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 Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 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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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2020, Trevor Wesley Davis, 29, sold a pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $4,000 on a 16th Street parking lot in Huntington.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the West Virginia State Police Drug and Violent Crime Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-177.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 10, 2021, law enforcement officers observed multiple suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions at a Fifth Avenue residence in Huntington involving an individual later identified as Curtis Leroy Hayes, Jr., 47. When Hayes left the residence in a vehicle, officers initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. Hayes was arrested, and officers found approximately 6.4 grams of suspected heroin on his person. Hayes admitted to officers that he had been selling heroin for several months. Officers executed a search warrant at Hayes’ residence, where they recovered a loaded Bryco Arms, Jennings Model Nine 9mm pistol in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hayes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for first-degree murder and second-degree murder in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 19, 1995, and for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 27, 1995.
Hayes is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1.25 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-251.
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Former Pinch Elementary Counselor Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The former counselor at Pinch Elementary in Kanawha County pleaded guilty today to attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, admitted to posing as an 18-year-old boy while using the Snapchat instant messaging application to communicate with multiple minor females.
Beginning in January 2020, Roatsey began communicating via Snapchat with one girl he believed to be 16 and a second female he believed also to be a minor. He persuaded each to record and send him numerous sexually explicit videos that depicted each female masturbating. Roatsey also sent both girls videos of himself masturbating
Roatsey further used this Snapchat account to communicate with several minor females he knew through his position as a Pinch Elementary School counselor. These communications included more than 100 Snapchat conversations Roatsey recorded with two of these minor females, both approximately 12 years old and one of whom was then a student at Pinch Elementary. During these conversations, Roatsey told the girls that they were “hot” and “sexy” and received numerous videos of the minor females doing “TikTok” style dance routines wearing only sports bras and shorts. In other videos, the minor females would do various gymnastics poses such as full backbends.
Roatsey also admitted to distributing, receiving, possessing, and accessing child pornography, including images and videos depicting infants and toddlers, through a variety of media between at least October 9, 2019, through July 16, 2021. Specifically, Roatsey possessed child pornography on devices seized from his residence, including his cell phone, and on the encrypted cloud-based file storage service Mega. Using both Mega and the messaging application Kik, Roatsey also distributed various images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to other individuals.
On October 28, 2021, Roatsey deleted the Snapchat account he used to engage in these activities within hours of Homeland Security Investigations executing a search warrant at his residence and seizing numerous electronic devices found to contain child pornography. By deleting the account, he obstructed justice by making various Snapchat records inaccessible to law enforcement and unavailable for any subsequent federal prosecution.
“The crimes to which the defendant pleaded guilty today are truly horrific,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “They are made even worse because the defendant was a school counselor at a grade school. Schools are often the only constant for so many of our children, and are often seen for some children as their only safe place. Due to the challenges our children face today, it has never been more important for our children to have grown-ups at school they can turn to and trust. Our children need to feel safe in our schools.”
“The demand for justice in this case could not have been more clear, and was made possible by the excellent investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and its task force officers,” Thompson continued. “I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald for prosecuting the case.”
“Mr. Roatsey abused his position of trust in order to victimize the most vulnerable members of our society” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brenda Nevano of HSI Washington, D.C. “Today, he will begin the process of repaying his debt to society. HSI Washington, D.C. is proud to have partnered with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring Mr. Roatsey to justice, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect the law-abiding citizens under our care.”
Roatsey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2022. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Roatsey faces between 25 and 35 years in prison, to be followed by federal supervised release for the rest of his life. He must also register as a sex offender.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-235.
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Federal Jury Finds Greenbrier County Man Guilty of Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Jason Shortridge, 39, of Ronceverte, of possession and attempted distribution of child pornography.
Evidence at trial revealed that on May 1, 2019, Shortridge downloaded and made available for sharing child pornography online using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Shortridge’s residence and seized a computer belonging to Shortridge. A forensic examination of the computer located hundreds of images of child pornography, primarily from the deleted space of the computer. Two computer forensic experts testified that during their examination of Shortridge’s computer, they recovered child pornography as well as search terms used to actively search for child pornography. Evidence showed that Shortridge possessed over 600 computer graphic image files containing images and videos of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.
Shortridge faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced.
“Such crimes of child sexual exploitation must never be tolerated, and I commend the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Monica D. Coleman and the trial team for prosecuting the case.”
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-223.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release for the rest of his life, for producing child pornography. Brian Wayne Shaffer, 51, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shaffer admitted that he used his cell phone to photograph the genitalia of a prepubescent female minor with whom he was living in August 2021. Shaffer further admitted that he used his cell phone to upload the nude photo of the prepubescent female minor and sent it to another individual who Shaffer had been communicating with on YouTube. Shaffer admitted he uploaded the photograph using his Gmail address on or about August 24, 2021. At the time Shaffer produced child pornography of the prepubescent female minor, he previously had been convicted of first-degree sexual assault of another prepubescent female minor in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 2, 2001.
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 West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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-195.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack.
Michael Andrew King, Jr., 35, was found guilty by a federal jury following his August 2021 trial. He also faces five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, King distributed methamphetamine to an individual in Montgomery, West Virginia, on January 4, 2019. Three days later, King distributed crack to that same individual in Montgomery. On February 2, 2019, King was in Cleveland, Ohio, and placed over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack in a female’s vehicle without her knowledge. King arranged for the female to follow him back to Charleston that same day. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of King as he followed the female’s vehicle, and after a traffic stop of both vehicles, seized the methamphetamine and crack that King had previously placed in the female’s vehicle.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work involved in the case. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Charleston Police Department, the South Charleston Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Ryan Blackwell 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-23.
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Woman Accused of Federal Gun Crime in Connection with Fatal Shootout with Nicholas County Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that a Nicholas County woman has been charged with a federal gun crime related to the June 3, 2022, shooting that left one Nicholas County sheriff’s deputy dead and another wounded.
Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, is charged with providing a firearm to a felon. The criminal complaint alleges that on November 17, 2021, Clodfelter purchased a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle for Richie Holcomb.
Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a July 30, 2014, felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court. The criminal complaint alleges that Clodfelter was aware of Holcomb’s previous conviction and that he was unable to buy the firearm himself.
Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III was killed and Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in an exchange of gunfire after responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area on June 3, 2022. Holcomb, 36, was fatally shot in the incident.
“Our law enforcement officers face uncertainty each and every day as they perform their duties and protect our communities. The crime alleged in this complaint underscores that grim reality,” Thompson said. “I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for its swift and thorough investigative action in this case.”
“The ATF Charleston Field Office assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of two deputies," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division, which covers West Virginia. "Special agents, with the support of the ATF National Tracing Center, conducted an investigation resulting in federal firearms charges against Melanie Clodfelter. Federal law prohibits felons from receiving or possessing firearms, and this tragic incident shows why. ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will work together to hold accountable those who enable violent crime in our communities.”
Clodfelter was arrested on June 4, 2022. She made an initial appearance on June 7, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Dwayne L. Tinsley, who scheduled her preliminary hearing for June 14, 2022. Clodfelter faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution.
Note: The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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-mj-69.
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Two Men Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ricky Sprouse, 53, of Raleigh County, and Stuart Dotson, 55, of Fayette County, were sentenced today to nine months in prison and one year in prison, respectively, for their roles in the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprouse, of Naoma, and Dotson, of Mount Hope, each admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Each man pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility. Both face three years of supervised release after their prison terms.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed Sprouse’s sentence. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed Dotson’s sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-143, 2:22-cr-45, and 2:21-cr-182.
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Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2019, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at the residence of David Keith Nutter, 55, of Summersville. Nutter admitted that the officer recovered multiple firearms: a Rexio, SRL, .22-caliber revolver; a Harrington and Richardson 20-gauge shotgun; a Marlin, Model 25MN, .22-caliber rifle; and an Ithaca 20-gauge shotgun. Assorted ammunition was also recovered.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Nutter knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior convictions for domestic violence in Canton, Ohio, Municipal Court on July 14, 1998, and for endangering children and domestic violence on a family or household member in the Stark County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on August 19, 2002.
Nutter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 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 Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman and third-year law student intern Eric McLain handled today’s plea hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-142.
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Mingo County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mingo County woman pleaded guilty today to theft of government benefits and making materially false statements to federal agents.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Diana Cisco, 69, of Delbarton, 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.
Cisco is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.
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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-88.
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Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Rodney Alexander Minter, 62, of Logan, admitted that he sold a total of approximately 46 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover informant on five separate occasions in 2020 and 2021. Minter further admitted that on August 9, 2021, he possessed with the intent to distribute 104 grams of methamphetamine and 8 grams of fentanyl.
Co-defendant John Eric Dickson, 59, of St. Albans, was previously sentenced to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. Dickson admitted that he supplied Minter with an ounce of methamphetamine on January 5, 2021, to sell to another individual.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. 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. 2:21-cr-169.
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Jamaican Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Immigration ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Jamaican national pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien, and was remanded to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Edwin Hugh Douglas, 53, of Kingston, Jamaica, admitted that he was found in a Parkersburg municipal building by ICE agents on December 3, 2021. ICE agents had identified Douglas in the course of an investigation. ICE agents spoke to Douglas, who admitted that he is a citizen of Jamaica and had been previously removed from the United States. Douglas had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States and was arrested.
Fingerprints matched Douglas to a November 9, 2009, administrative removal from the United States to Jamaica. Douglas was also convicted on June 17, 2004, of felony unlawful assault in Wood County Circuit Court. Douglas never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, nor did he seek to reenter through other legal means.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing, sentencing Douglas to the time he has served in custody since his arrest before remanding him to ICE custody. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-264.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman pleaded guilty today to making false statements in the acquisition of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Whitney Kathlyn Hershey, 35, admitted to lying on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473, when she bought a Glock, Model 27, .40-caliber pistol in Huntington on February 14, 2020. Hershey certified on the ATF Form 4473 that she was the purchaser of the firearm when she knew she was buying it for someone else. Hershey further admitted to buying firearms on three other occasions and stating on the forms that she was the actual purchaser when she was not.
Hershey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 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 Huntington Police Department and the ATF for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-23.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to three years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Parrish Wayne Spurlock, 55, sold 0.8 grams of suspected fentanyl behind his North High Street residence to a confidential informant on May 11, 2021. The suspected fentanyl field-tested positive and was ultimately confirmed as fentanyl by the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory. Spurlock admitted to law enforcement officers that he had sold significant amounts of methamphetamine and heroin over an approximate one-year period.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
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-250.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Issues Statement Regarding Two Nicholas County Sheriff's Deputies Shot in the Line of DutyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Will Thompson issued the following statement regarding Nicholas County Sheriff's Deputy Tom Baker, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Friday, June 3, 2022, and Corporal J. Ellison, who was shot and wounded in the same incident.
Yesterday evening, two officers with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department put themselves in harm's way in the performance of their duties. Deputy Tom Baker and Corporal J. Ellison were shot while responding to a domestic disturbance. Deputy Baker succumbed to his injuries. I am grateful to learn that Corporal Ellison was treated for his injuries and released. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by our law enforcement officers in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. We mourn with Deputy Baker's loved ones, our fellow law enforcement partners, the Nicholas County community and all of West Virginia. We are resolved that Deputy Baker's service and selfless dedication will be forever remembered.
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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Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2020, Candice Nicole Long, also known as “Candace Long,” 26, was at her residence when she sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while possessing a .380-caliber handgun in her waistband. On February 28, 2020, officers executed a search warrant on her residence and recovered the firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-228.
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Three Individuals Plead Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three individuals pleaded guilty today to federal charges involving the straw purchases of multiple firearms.
Michelle Grim, 51, of Eccles, and Megan Bickford, 34, of Oak Hill, each pleaded guilty to making false statements in the acquisition of firearms. Bickford’s husband, Brandon Lawson, 32, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty to transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Grim and Bickford each admitted to lying on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473, or ATF Form 4473. In making separate firearms purchases, Grim and Bickford each certified that they were the buyer of the firearm on the form when each knew they were purchasing firearms for someone else.
Grim admitted to lying on an ATF Form 4473 when she purchased a Taurus, G3C, 9mm pistol in Beckley on November 5, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least 17 straw purchases. Bickford admitted to lying on an ATF Form 4473 when she purchased a IWI, Model Jericho 941, 9mm pistol in Rainelle on November 2, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least 54 straw purchases throughout 2020.
Lawson admitted to transferring a Ruger, Model LC9S, 9mm pistol to the out-of-state resident in Beckley on March 11, 2021. Lawson further admitted to aiding and abetting Bickford in the illegal purchase of firearms during 2020 and 2021.
Bickford and Lawson are scheduled to be sentenced on September 23, 2022, and Grim on September 30, 2022. Each faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the ATF for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:22-cr-78, 5:22-cr-79, and 5:22-cr-80.
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Federal Jury Finds Two Men Guilty for Roles in Major Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury today convicted Leo Antoine Smith, 38, of Cross Lanes, of conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, of Charleston, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
With today’s verdicts, all 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments have either pleaded guilty or been otherwise convicted. The cases resulted from a long-term investigation of a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy operating in and around St. Albans and South Charleston.
“This case represents an outstanding example of inter-agency teamwork and diligence that not only dismantled a significant drug operation, but also prevented a violent crime from occurring on Charleston’s West Side,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the excellent 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). I also thank Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner and the trial team for their commitment to this case and I congratulate them on its successful prosecution.”
Evidence at trial revealed Smith distributed methamphetamine around Charleston between the fall of 2020 and September 21, 2021, and connected Wesley to a foiled Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.
On at least one occasion in early 2021, Smith traveled with Brian Dangelo Terry to Atlanta to purchase methamphetamine from Ramon David Alston. Trial testimony, wiretap evidence, and text messages obtained from Smith’s cellphones revealed that he distributed more than 60 ounces of methamphetamine.
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, and 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.
Ramon David Alston, James Edward Bennett III, Treydan Leon Burks, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Scott Edward Hudson, Jason Robert Oxley, Michael Antonio Smith and Brian Dangelo Terry all pleaded guilty. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022, and Wesley on August 17, 2022. Smith faces up to 20 years in prison. Wesley faces up to 10 years in prison.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-171, 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-211, and 2:22-cr-90.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eddie E. Kellom, also known as “Ace,” 23, admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant near Coal City, Raleigh County, on May 21, 2021. Kellom also admitted to selling fentanyl on three other occasions. Each of these transactions also occurred in Raleigh County.
Kellom further admitted to possessing approximately 250 grams of fentanyl recovered during a January 11, 2022, traffic stop by law enforcement officers near Putnam County. Kellom admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
Kellom is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2022, and faces up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit (BRCDVCU), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
The case is a result of a months-long investigation dubbed “Operation Wolverine Carousel,” an investigation into the wide-spread distribution of heroin and fentanyl in Raleigh and Fayette Counties.
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. 5:22-cr-31.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Devonte Jamer McItyer, 27, admitted to selling approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on October 2, 2019. Following the sale, a Cabell County sheriff’s deputy pulled over a vehicle in which McItyer was a passenger. The deputy 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 that the deputy also found in the vehicle.
McItyer is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, as well as up to four years of supervised release and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force, and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting 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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"Long Time Coming" Update: Chicago Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Chicago man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and other controlled substances in the Parkersburg area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carlo Lee Ramsey, 56, supplied co-defendants Era Dawn Corder and Ambera Roberts with methamphetamine that they re-distributed between June and September 2021. Ramsey was supplied with methamphetamine by Robert Sanders, Jr., and was supplied with cocaine, marijuana, and other controlled substances by Floyd Dermonta Ramsey. Carlo Ramsey supplied all these substances to several customers in the Parkersburg area for several months.
Carlo Ramsey previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendants Corder, Roberts, Sanders, Floyd Ramsey, and Matthew Edward Depew previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia as a result of a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” Depew was sentenced to five years in prison, Floyd Ramsey and Corder were each sentenced to three years in prison, and Roberts was sentenced to one year and six months in prison. Sanders is awaiting sentencing. The investigation also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, the Russell, Kentucky, Police Department and the Raceland, Kentucky, Police Department
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-163.
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Federal Jury Finds Tennessee Man Guilty of Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After a one-day trial, a federal jury convicted Matthew Corban Hagy, 51, of Memphis, Tennessee, of production and possession of child pornography.
Evidence at trial revealed Hagy traveled from Tennessee to Putnam County, West Virginia, as the caretaker for a man visiting family in Poca during the week of Christmas 2020. While there, Hagy took nude photographs of a 5-year-old boy and produced a graphic video of the boy. A search of Hagy’s phone revealed more than 700 additional images and videos of child pornography. In a statement given to police, Hagy admitted that he took a picture of the boy, but denied doing anything inappropriate. The jury found Hagy guilty on both counts of the indictment.
Hagy is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2022. He faces at least 15 years and up to 50 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. Hagy will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“That this individual preyed upon a minor child during the holidays makes his awful crimes all the more heinous,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I thank the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the South Charleston Police Department, and the Secret Service for their excellent investigative work in this case. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Julie White and Greg McVey and the trial team for prosecuting the case and securing guilty verdicts on all counts.”
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the trial. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-99.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jason Edward D’Arco, 40, sold a total of almost three-quarters of a pound of cocaine to a confidential informant on four occasions in January and February 2020. The drug sales occurred at D’Arco’s residence and a sandwich shop he managed in downtown Charleston.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Charleston Police Department. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) provided assistance during the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-263.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Parkersburg Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg woman was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for her role in a multi-state conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine and other controlled substances in the Parkersburg area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Era Dawn Corder, 47, of Parkersburg, admitted to obtaining and re-distributing several ounces of methamphetamine in the Parkersburg area between June and September 2021. Corder obtained this methamphetamine from Carlo Ramsey, at times on consignment with the understanding that she would pay Ramsey back later with the proceeds. Corder and Ramsey would coordinate over the phone when Corder needed additional methamphetamine.
Corder pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In total, Corder was responsible for over 325 grams of methamphetamine during the course of the conspiracy.
Carlo Ramsey, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, Ambera Roberts, Matthew Edward Depew, and Robert Sanders, Jr., previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, as a result of a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” Roberts was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, Depew was sentenced to five years in prison, and Floyd Ramsey was sentenced to three years in prison. All other defendants are awaiting sentencing. The investigation also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, the Russell, Kentucky, Police Department and the Raceland, Kentucky, Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe handled the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-163.
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Wayne County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Wayne County man was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jonathan Walker, 45, of Ceredo, admitted to selling what he believed to be heroin from the driveway of his D Street residence to a confidential informant for $2,750 on March 8, 2021. A forensic chemist later determined that the substance sold by Walker was fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-115.
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Two Huntington Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington men were sentenced today to prison for their roles in a multi-state drug ring. Donald Duane Cole, 51, was sentenced to five years and 10 months. William Edward Nellons, Jr., 38, was sentenced to three years and 10 months. Three years of supervised release will follow each prison sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cole and Nellons participated in a conspiracy with others to distribute drugs in Huntington from at least April 2021 to July 2021. Cole admitted to distributing fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Nellons admitted that he regularly received cocaine and fentanyl which he distributed to others in the Huntington area. At times, Nellons and Cole each received the drugs on consignment and returned proceeds after conducting distributions.
Nellons admitted that he stored approximately 30 grams of fentanyl at Cole’s residence in May 2021 that he distributed during the conspiracy. Cole admitted to possessing approximately 10 grams of crack seized by law enforcement officers while executing a search warrant at his Ninth Avenue residence on July 29, 2021. Cole further admitted that he intended to sell the crack cocaine.
Cole pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Nellons pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Seventeen other individuals pleaded guilty to roles in the multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in Huntington and distributed fentanyl, cocaine and crack as well as methamphetamine, oxycodone, and heroin.
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 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 sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the cases.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:22-cr-7 and 3:21-cr-109.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to retaliation against a government witness.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from July 2021 through August 11, 2021, David Stanley, 46, of Bolt, admitted to sending multiple intimidating and threatening messages through Facebook Messenger to a witness in a federal criminal case against Stanley’s brother.
Stanley is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
Stanley’s brother, Charles Stanley, 51, of Shady Springs, pleaded guilty on February 3, 2022, to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility and awaits sentencing. According to court documents and statements made in court, Charles Stanley admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment in May and June, 2019, from the energy facility, located in Boone and Lincoln counties, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson, John File and Negar Kordestani are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-144.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to 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 the Norway Avenue address of Roy Bills, 56. Officers 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 was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his November, 7, 2016 felony conviction in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Bills is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 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 efforts of the U.S. 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-60.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a thwarted Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, James Edward Bennett III, 31, 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. Bennett admitted to possessing two of the firearms: a Taurus, Model G2C, 9mm pistol; and a Spike’s Tactical, Model SL15, .223-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bennett is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for: first-degree robbery on July 13, 2010; voluntary manslaughter on July 17, 2017; and unlawful wounding on August 21, 2019, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Two of the three other men have admitted to roles in the Fourth of July 2021 incident. Brian Dangelo Terry, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Treydan Leon Burks, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both men face sentencing on June 30, 2022. The fourth man, Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, of Charleston, is scheduled for trial on May 24, 2022.
The drug offenses arise from Burks’ and Terry’s participation in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County. Of the 17 defendants charged in the DTO conspiracy, 11 others have also pleaded guilty: Ramon David Alston, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Scott Edward Hudson, Jason Robert Oxley, and Michael Antonio Smith. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. In addition to Wesley, Leo Antoine Smith, 38, of Cross Lanes, also faces trial on May 24, 2022.
“The collaborative approach of our law enforcement partners allowed for a quick response that averted a real potential for bloodshed,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) for their excellent investigative work in this case.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Presents 2022 Law Enforcement AwardsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson honored an array of federal, state and local law enforcement professionals today for their outstanding contributions to investigations and cases in the Southern District of West Virginia.
During a ceremony at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston, Thompson presented 2022 Law Enforcement Awards to more than 60 individuals.
The awards recognize both invaluable assistance within specific categories of cases and office initiatives as well as overall exemplary service over the past year:
Category: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States. OCDETF investigations use a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Operation Shutdown Corner (U.S. vs. Jones, 5:19-cr-227):
Special Agent Jennifer King, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Forensic Examiner Melinda Cash, FBI
Staff Operations Specialist Rose Chestnut, FBI
Intelligence Analyst Sarah Cole, FBI
Resident Agent in Charge David Bullard, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Special Agent Rob DiDomenico, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Sergeant Rob Richards, West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation
Detective David Snuffer, Beckley Police Department
Detective Will Reynolds, Beckley Police Department
Sergeant Brian Acord, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Detective Ray Hall, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
For a multi-jurisdictional, long-term investigation that targeted a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) operating between California and the Southern District of West Virginia. All 17 defendants charged in the case have been convicted, with the final defendant sentenced to more than 16 years in prison. The investigation linked the defendants to large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin mixed with fentanyl as well as to firearms shipped back to California. Approximately 26 firearms were recovered along with a bump stock, a device that allows semi-automatic firearms to operate as machine guns.
Operation Second Wave (includes U.S. vs. Terrell, 2:20-cr-154):
Special Agent Jennifer King, FBI
Special Agent Michael McDonald, FBI
Special Agent Georgia Marshall, FBI
Special Agent John Reese, FBI
Special Agent Jarred Shockey, FBI
Staff Operations Specialist Rose Chestnut, FBI
Forensic Examiner Melinda Cash, FBI
Forensic Accountant Tammie Blundon, FBI
Resident Agent in Charge David Bullard, ATF
Special Agent Ben Henrich, Drug Enforcement Administration
Postal Inspector Josh Mehall, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Special Agent Todd Phillips, U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General
Sergeant Curtis Adkins, West Virginia State Police-BCI
Detective Owen Morris, Charleston Police Department
Detective Brian Middleton, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department
Detective Jon Vernon, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department
Deputy Steve Martin, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department
For an investigation that resulted in the dismantling of a drug-trafficking operation (DTO) that involved the distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana THC products in Kanawha and Fayette counties. More than a dozen individuals were convicted in the case, with five of them each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison. Those convicted included a United States Postal Service mail carrier who delivered drugs to the co-conspirators in packages addressed to fictitious individuals along his route.
Category: Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, and is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
U.S. vs. Boone (3:21-cr-101):
Detective Stephen Maniskas, Huntington Police Department
Lieutenant Ryan Bentley, Huntington Police Department
Sergeant Ronnie Lusk, Huntington Police Department
PFC Jordan McClellan, Huntington Police Department
PFC Bradley Koeppen, Huntington Police Department
Patrolman Ryan Donoho, Huntington Police Department
Patrolman Sean Brinegar, Huntington Police Department
Patrolman Hun Tak, Huntington Police Department
For the successful prosecution of an eight-time felon captured after a shooting and resulting police pursuit in Huntington. A stolen firearm was found in the vehicle of the defendant, who was sentenced to more than eight years in prison.
Category: Drug & Violent Crime
U.S. vs. Fields (2:20-cr-00128):
Officer William Keith McGraw, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police
For investigating a Fayette County man suspected of deer poaching, who was later determined to be convicted of voluntary manslaughter for beating a young woman to death with a tire iron. The investigation resulted in federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and the defendant was sentenced to six year and six months in prison.
Category: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is 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, 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.
U.S. vs. Humphrey (5:21-cr-5):
Special Agent Phil Gunther, FBI
Special Agent James Harrison, FBI
Forensic Examiner Melinda Cash, FBI
Detective Wayne Long, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Detective E. E. Simon, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Detective C.D. Suman, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Detective R. A. Robinson, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Detective R. S. Queen, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Captain L. D. Lilly, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department
Sergeant Steven A. Sommers, Mercer County Sheriff’s Department
Detective Jarred Payne, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department
For the investigation and successful prosecution of a Beckley man who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the attempted production of child pornography.
FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force:
Supervisory Special Agent Tony Rausa, FBI
Special Agent Jared Jankowski, FBI (Task Force Coordinator)
Special Agent Genevieve Baushke, FBI (Task Force Coordinator)
The FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was recognized for its work in the Humphrey case as well as additional successful prosecutions, including of a Berkeley County man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempted enticement of a minor; a Virginia man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor; and an Upshur County man sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
Category: Civil Rights
U.S. vs. Maynard (2:21-cr-65):
Special Agent James F. Lafferty II, FBI
Special Agent Greg Lipari, FBI
Sergeant Andrew Shingler, West Virginia State Police–BCI
A former Logan County Police Department officer was sentenced to nine years in prison after a federal jury convicted him of violating an arrestee’s civil rights by using excessive force against him. The outstanding work of these honorees ensured that justice was served in the case.
Category: White Collar Crime
U.S. vs Vladimirov (2:20-cr-54):
Special Agent Devon Selbee, U.S. Secret Service
Special Agent Terry Hedrick, U.S. Secret Service
Resident Agent in Charge Wade Fleming, U.S. Secret Service
Detective Jeremy Thompson, South Charleston Police Department
For the successful prosecution of the first known federal case that took down and convicted the organizer of a retail theft-based fencing organization. The leader, a native of Bulgaria living in Cross Lanes, acquired goods stolen by people addicted to heroin. Paying these “boosters” a fraction of the retail value, the ringleader resold the items online for significant profit. He was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
U.S. vs. Pinson (2:19-cr-250):
Postal Inspector Seth Summers, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Special Agent J.T. Waggy, FBI
Special Agent Cedric Jefferson, FBI
Special Agent Jack Remaley, FBI (retired)
First Sergeant J. M. “Mike” Parde, West Virginia State Police-BCI
Special Agent Bruce Adkins, National Insurance Crime Bureau
Intelligence Analyst Rhonda Edwards, West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner
A $4.3 million fraud scheme targeted Toyota Motor Sales and its buyback program for Tacoma customers. Four individuals pleaded guilty in the case. The leader of the scheme, a used car dealership owner, was sentenced to six years in prison after a federal jury convicted him of mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identify theft.
U.S. vs. Dudding (3:22-cr-1):
Special Agent Devon Selbee, U.S. Secret Service
Special Agent Terry Hedrick, U.S. Secret Service
Detective Jeremy Thompson, South Charleston Police Department
Special Agent Meg Faden, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General
A Huntington woman acting as a money mule for a Nigeria-based online scammer pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an unlawful money transaction and faces sentencing June 27, 2022. The investigation targeted the numerous accounts and multiple banks used to send and receive fraudulent funds, and led to the seizure of nearly the entire $1.788 million the defendant is required to pay in the case.
U.S. vs. McLaughlin (2:20-cr-182):
Detective James Hart, Parkersburg Police Department
For his investigation into a $1 million scam involving the purchase and sale of collector cars, which resulted in the conviction of an Ohio businessman who was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
U.S. vs. Phillips (3:21-cr-135):
Special Agent Todd Berry, FBI
Special Agent Michael McDonald, FBI
Special Agent Jarred Shockey, FBI
Special Agent Phil Gunther, FBI
Special Agent James F. Lafferty II, FBI
Special Agent Georgia Marshall, FBI
Special Agent John Reese, FBI
Sergeant Bradford Burner, West Virginia State Police–BCI
Sergeant Richard Stephenson, West Virginia State Police
Lieutenant Jason Lanham, Summersville Police Department
Asset Forfeiture Coordinator Jaime Cochran, U.S. Marshals Service
A longtime employee stole approximately $4.72 million from a Huntington-based non-profit organization that provides services and support to children and families. The investigation resulted in her conviction, a $4.65 million restitution order and a sentence of seven years in prison.
Category: Outstanding Community Partner Award
Larry Snidow, Health Education Specialist, WV Health Right
Nurse Larry Snidow was among the first health care professionals called to the front lines as Charleston prepared to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Snidow worked countless hours administering COVID-19 tests and vaccinations while educating businesses and individuals about health safety protocols. Snidow routinely visited homebound individuals in their residences for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.
Category: Collaborative Law Enforcement AwardUnited States Marshals Service
Michael Baylous, U.S. Marshal
Anthony Santoro, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal
Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Fred Lamey
Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Matt Ingram
Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Chris Leachman
Administrative Officer Chris Thompson
By encouraging, developing and maintaining partnerships, the United States Marshals Service provides invaluable assistance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and across the district’s law enforcement community. Thompson commended them for being the ultimate team players.
Category: Drug & Violent Crime Task Force of the Year
Beckley/Raleigh County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force
Task Force Commander: Sergeant Rob Richards, West Virginia State Police-BCI
This task force consists of the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Its outstanding cooperative law enforcement efforts included the successful Operation Shutdown Corner investigation (see OCDETF category).
Law Enforcement Officers of the Year
Special Agent Jennifer King, FBI
Sergeant Curtis Adkins, West Virginia State Police-BCI
Detective Jeremy Thompson, South Charleston Police Department
This year’s honorees are known for their passionate commitment to every case they work; their skills and tenacity as investigators; and their selfless dedication to getting the job done.
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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Jackson County Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Social Security Income BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Jackson County woman pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Monique Ann Casto, 37, of Kenna, unlawfully collected $41,166 in Social Security Survivor’s Insurance Benefits payments on behalf of a minor child after losing custody of that child.
Casto began receiving the benefits in March 2006 for the care of a child as the child’s representative payee. These Social Security representative payee benefits were based on income and living arrangements. The benefits required that the SSA money received be used for the well-being of the child. They also created a duty on the recipient to report a change in living arrangements. Casto failed to disclose that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources took custody of the minor child on June 23, 2015, and that her parental rights were terminated in May 2016. Casto continued to collect benefits unlawfully from June 2015 through August 2019.
Casto pleaded guilty to concealment of an event that affects SSA benefits and to conversion of SSA benefits. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,00 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Social Security Administration (SSA) and SSA-Office of Inspector General (OIG) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-137.
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Fayette County Woman Pleads Guilty to Being a Straw PurchaserRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Fayette County woman pleaded guilty to providing false information on a government form in order to acquire firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 23, 2020, Terri Lawhorn, 27, of Fayetteville, bought three firearms: a Glock 44 .22-caliber pistol; a Glock 43 9mm pistol; and a Glock 42 .380-caliber pistol. Lawhorn admitted that she purchased the firearms for Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” who is separately charged in a pending gun trafficking conspiracy. Through an intermediary, Jones had given Lawhorn money to buy the firearms and told her which ones to buy from a gun dealer in Mount Hope, West Virginia.
Lawhorn purchased at least six firearms as part of the overall scheme. Each time Lawhorn bought firearms for Jones, she lied on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, Federal Firearms Transaction Records, certifying that she was buying the guns for herself when she knew they were for Jones.
Lawhorn is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the ATF, which conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
Lawhorn is among 13 individuals indicted in connection with their roles in a conspiracy to traffic over 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than 30 of the firearms have been recovered in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.
Co-defendant Arileah Lacy, also known as “Leah,” 24, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on April 22, 2022, to providing false information on an ATF form in order to acquire a firearm. The case remains pending against Jones and the other co-defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty to the distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kyle L. Thomas, also known as “Trip,” 22, admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Amigo, Raleigh County, on October 18, 2021.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 2, 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 Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit (BRCDVCU) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
The case is a result of a months-long investigation dubbed “Operation Wolverine Carousel,” an investigation into the wide-spread distribution of heroin and fentanyl in Raleigh and Fayette Counties.
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. 5:22-cr-29.
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Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Caila Vance, 26, admitted to selling suspected methamphetamine to a confidential informant on February 8, 2022. The substance later tested positive as methamphetamine.
Vance is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2022, and faces mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison as well as at least four years of supervised release and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew 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-57.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man pleaded guilty today to intent to distribute methamphetamine and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Hudson, 50, 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, at which time they 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 the St. Albans area 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.
Hudson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
Hudson is one of 17 defendants charged as a result of the DTO investigation. Ramon David Alston, James Edward Bennett, III, Treydan Leon Burks, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Jason Robert Oxley, Michael Antonio Smith, and Brian D’Angelo Terry have also pleaded guilty. Harbour was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on May 16, 2022. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. Leo Antoine Smith and Douglas Johnathan Wesley are scheduled for trial on May 24, 2022.
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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting 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-171, 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-211, and 2:22-cr-90.
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Charleston Felon Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Denzil Weatherspoon, 29, ran from officers with the Charleston Police Department on February 4, 2020. Upon detaining Weatherspoon, officers recovered a loaded Rohm Model RG23 .22-caliber revolver in his jacket pocket.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Weatherspoon knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of two prior felony convictions: for unlawful wounding on August 18, 2014, in Kanawha County Circuit Court; and for aggravated assault on November 10, 2016, for in the Circuit Court of Davidson County, Tennessee.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-138.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Michael Bryant, 62, admitted to selling fentanyl to a confidential informant on three separate occasions in March 2021 at his Hunt Street residence. During one of the controlled buys, Bryant also sold the confidential informant a loaded Francolin Arms, model Citadel Boss 25, 12-gauge shotgun. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bryant’s residence on October 21, 2021 and seized additional quantities of fentanyl, a loaded Sports Arms Derringer .22-caliber pistol, and rounds of 9mm and .22-caliber ammunition.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bryant admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his two prior felony convictions: for being a felon in possession of a firearm on February 25, 2010, in Raleigh County Circuit Court; and for unlawful assault on October 30, 2000, Fayette County Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-199.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack” cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gregory Anthony Waters, 53, sold approximately 1 ounce of cocaine base to a confidential informant on September 20, 2020. Waters admitted to meeting the informant near a restaurant he owned in Beckley to sell the drugs. Waters also admitted to selling cocaine or cocaine base on several other occasions. Each transaction occurred within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Waters agreed to forfeit cash in the amount of $2,481 and to have a money judgment entered in the amount of $5,000, the total of which represents the proceeds of his illegal drug trafficking. Waters also agreed to forfeit a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado truck which was used to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the cooperative investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-191.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson to Honor Excellence in Law Enforcement during Friday CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will honor more than 60 law enforcement professionals during the 2022 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement officers will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to major investigations and cases involving drugs, violent crime, civil rights, child exploitation, and white collar crime.
Thompson will also present awards honoring this year’s outstanding law enforcement officers, drug and violent crime task force, collaborative law enforcement agency, and community partner.
The annual awards ceremony recognizes the exemplary service of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have provided invaluable assistance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia in cases and initiatives.
This year’s ceremony is in conjunction with National Police Week, held to remember and honor the service and sacrifices of law enforcement officers.
WHO: United States Attorney Will Thompson, joined by representatives from the law enforcement community
WHAT: 2022 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony
WHEN: Friday, May 20, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, Fifth Floor, 300 Virginia St., East, Charleston, West Virginia
*** NOTICE: cameras and other recording devices will be permitted on the fifth floor of the Courthouse for the ceremony only. ***
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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