Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man was sentenced today 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.
According to court documents and statements made in court, John Eric Dickson, 59, of St. Albans, admitted that he supplied co-defendant Rodney Alexander Minter, 62, of Logan, with an ounce of methamphetamine on January 5, 2021, to sell to another individual. Minter pleaded guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-169.
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Indianapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Indianapolis man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 20, 2021, officers with the Parkersburg Police Department pulled over a vehicle driven by Steven Loren Mandrell, 44, formerly of Parkersburg, because it didn’t have a valid license plate. As an officer approached the vehicle, Mandrell was seen leaning toward the steering wheel as if he was concealing something underneath the driver’s seat. Mandrell admitted to having two loaded firearms under his seat, a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol and a Bul Transmark 9mm pistol. Both firearms were seized by the officers.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Mandrell knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a January 27, 2010, conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Wood County Circuit Court.
Mandrell is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 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 Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-231.
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Bluefield Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Bluefield man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Torrey Hairston, 34, admitted that law enforcement officers found a pair of 9mm semi-automatic pistols, a Beretta Nano and a Glock 26, after responding to a report of a domestic altercation at his residence on March 19, 2021. One of the firearms was in Hairston’s pocket and the other was on the floor of Hairston’s apartment.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hairston knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his March 29, 2017, conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in Mercer County Circuit Court.
Hairston is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 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 Bluefield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for conducting the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-233.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Chicago Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Chicago man was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 31, 2021, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, 42, was riding in a vehicle while in possession of 98 pills containing fentanyl, just over 68 grams of cocaine, and approximately 3 pounds of marijuana that he intended to distribute to others. The vehicle was pulled over in Parkersburg by a trooper with the West Virginia State Police who searched the vehicle and seized the controlled substances.
Ramsey was delivering the drugs to the residence of co-defendant Carlo Ramsey as part of a months-long conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances in Parkersburg. Months of surveillance by law enforcement officers established that Floyd Ramsey was a supplier of various controlled substances to the conspiracy, which he would regularly transport or arrange to have transported by others into the Parkersburg area from Chicago.
Floyd Ramsey pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, and has a long criminal history that now includes six felony convictions.
Today’s sentencing is the latest result from a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” Co-defendants Carlo Ramsey, Era Dawn Corder, 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. Roberts was sentenced to 1 year and six months in prison. Depew was sentenced to five 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. 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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Huntington Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Christopher Leon Vest, also known as “Nick,” 34, admitted that he participated in the conspiracy from the summer of 2020 to July 2021. Vest frequently obtained quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine to distribute to various customers in the Huntington area. Vest provided the drugs to customers on consignment and was aware his customers intended to redistribute the drugs. Vest also admitted that he operated two residences in Huntington as locations to receive deliveries and to distribute the drugs.
On July 29, 2021, Vest was arrested after an indictment was returned charging multiple individuals in the investigation and a search warrant was executed at his residence on that date. Law enforcement officers seized a number of items including four firearms and over $86,000 in United States currency. Vest admitted that he possessed the firearms and that the money constituted proceeds from drug sales. Search warrants were also executed at another residence operated by Vest. During that search, law enforcement officers seized over a kilogram of cocaine, 800 grams of fentanyl, and 450 grams of methamphetamine that Vest intended to distribute and two additional firearms.
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 Office, the Hurricane Police Department and the Marshall University Police Department with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
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. 3:21-cr-109.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 26 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography. Nicholas Wilds, 38, must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wilds admitted that he engaged in distributing child pornography using online chat rooms. Wilds messaged with a user of Kik, an online messaging application, and the two discussed sexually abusing young children. Wilds encouraged the other Kik user to take sexually explicit photographs of a child in the user’s care, providing graphic details with his requests. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and found that Wilds possessed several hundred images of child pornography on his personal cell phone.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White 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. 3:22-cr-5.
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Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Angie Lane Harbour, 40, was a drug courier for a methamphetamine distribution organization operating in and around Charleston. Harbour acted as a driver for members of the organization both locally and during resupply trips out-of-state. On August 4, 2021, Harbour was driving co-conspirators Brian D’Angelo Terry and Brittany Frances Gilbert back to West Virginia from a resupply trip to Columbus, Ohio, when they were stopped by police in Cross Lanes. Police seized approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine from the vehicle.
Harbour pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and is one of 17 defendants charged as a result of the investigation. Terry and Gilbert have also pleaded guilty as have Ramon David Alston, Treydan Leon Burks, Jason Robert Oxley, Jonathan Gregory Bush, James Edward Bennett, III, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, and Michael Antonio Smith. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. Scott Edward Hudson, 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 imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-171, 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-211, and 2:22-cr-90.
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Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence of Edward Paul Potter, 42, of Bradley, on December 1, 2020. During the search, law enforcement officers found over 50 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, $1,356 in U.S. currency, and 17 firearms. Potter admitted that he possessed and intended to sell the heroin and fentanyl mixture. Potter further admitted that he had been working with a drug trafficking ring operating from Detroit and he had been receiving regular shipments of heroin.
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-167.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Walking Away from Federal Reentry FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for escape after walking away from a federal reentry facility.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Joshua Dowler, 40, admitted that he walked away from Dismas Charities in St. Albans on September 16, 2021, by exiting the fenced-in area of the property. Dowler had been confined at Dismas because he was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dowler had not yet completed his term of imprisonment when he walked away from Dismas. The United States Marshals Service apprehended Dowler in Parkersburg on November 9, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-256.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about January 26, 2021, Shawn Mackenzie Tant, 43, was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in front of a retail establishment on the south side of Parkersburg. While in the vehicle, Tant had contact with officers from the Parkersburg Police Department. A Harrington and Richardson .38-caliber revolver was located by the officers on the dashboard of Tant’s vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Tant admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of three prior felony convictions in Wood County Circuit Court for delivery of a controlled substance. Tant has a long criminal history that includes three domestic battery convictions as well as convictions for domestic assault, battery, and battery of a police officer.
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 Parkersburg Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-232.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 9, 2021, officers with the Parkersburg Police Department responded to a domestic violence complaint at the apartment of Matthew Ryan Hunt, 34. They forced entry after learning that shots had been fired inside Hunt’s apartment. Hunt was located inside with a pistol sitting next to him. Inside a safe in the bedroom, officers located an additional pistol and two rifles as well as over 5,800 rounds of ammunition. A female was also present. Officers located two spent shell casings in the apartment, and gunshot residue was detected on swabs taken from Hunt’s hands and face. Investigators later used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to determine that the spent shell casings were fired from the pistol that officers located next to Hunt.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hunt knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of an August 2017 felony conviction for breaking and entering in Wirt County Circuit Court.
Hunt is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2022, and faces a maximum potential penalty of life in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-267.
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Federal Jury Finds Huntington Man Guilty of Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted a Huntington man today of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Evidence at trial revealed Brendon Tyre Garner, 33, possessed .380-caliber ammunition in Huntington on June 29, 2021. Garner possessed this ammunition when he shot an individual on Charleston Avenue and fled the scene.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Garner knew he was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Cabell County Circuit Court for possession with intent to deliver drugs in January 2015; in Lawrence County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas for trafficking in drugs in April 2014; and in Cabell County Circuit Court for wanton endangerment in October 2011.
Garner is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Keefe and Joseph F. Adams are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-140.
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United States Attorney Will Thompson Recognizes Police Week 2022Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Will Thompson will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
In conjunction with National Police Week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia will hold its annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston. This annual event recognizes the exemplary work of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers alongside whom the United States Attorney’s Office stands as a proud partner.
“Our law enforcement officers need our support each and every day, and National Police Week allows us to show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice,” Thompson said. “We offer homage to those officers who have given their lives to keep our communities safe. Paying that ultimate price has earned our eternal gratitude.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.
The Southern District of West Virginia did not record any line of duty deaths among law enforcement in 2021. But the names added to the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in 2022 include 147 officers who died in years prior to 2021. Among those names is that of George William Spangler of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, whose watch ended on Feb. 19, 1927.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
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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Logan County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brian Dometric Knox, 37, of Logan, admitted that he possessed the approximately 79 grams of methamphetamine found by law enforcement officers on January 26, 2021, while carrying out a search warrant at the Cross Lanes residence where Knox was living at the time. Knox admitted that he intended to sell that methamphetamine and also admitted to selling approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine weekly between December 1, 2020, and January 22, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the West Virginia State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. 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-170.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Key Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization Operating in Kanawha CountyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine as part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2020 until at least September 28, 2021, Ramon David Alston, 42, of Decatur, Georgia, sold 1-pound and multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from his Georgia residence to individuals including co-defendants from Charleston, West Virginia, as part of the DTO. Alston admitted that he knew these customers intended to distribute methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Alston further admitted that two of his West Virginia customers visited his residence separately on July 19, 2021, and that he sold one of them a kilogram of methamphetamine. That customer was later stopped by police and arrested after being found in possession of the methamphetamine. Alston admitted to learning of the arrest, and of knowing that the other customer had purchased approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine from him over the course of the DTO conspiracy.
Alston is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, as well as at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-172.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to six years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis Givens, 52, admitted to selling several grams of fentanyl as well as two firearms, including a .32-caliber handgun, to a confidential informant on November 10, 2020. Givens admitted that he sold the confidential informant an additional 14 grams of fentanyl on November 18, 2020. Both transactions occurred at Givens’ residence on Charleston’s West Side.
Givens also brandished a firearm on July 7, 2021, while arguing with another person in view of a Charleston police officer who then immediately arrested Givens.
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 Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner 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-166.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Matthew Edward Depew, 31, admitted to obtaining methamphetamine from Robert Sanders, Jr., between April and July 2021, which he then re-distributed to customers in and around Parkersburg. Depew would often obtain large quantities of methamphetamine on consignment from Sanders, and Sanders would sometimes direct Depew to specific customers. Sanders and Depew would regularly coordinate over the phone regarding when Depew needed more methamphetamine to distribute.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Depew was responsible for several pounds of methamphetamine worth tens of thousands of dollars that he obtained from Sanders and re-distributed within the Parkersburg area. Depew’s involvement in the conspiracy ended when he was arrested following a traffic stop by officers with the Parkersburg Police Department on July 31, 2021. During the traffic stop, officers found approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine in Depew’s possession that he had obtained from Sanders.
Sanders and co-defendants Carlo Ramsey, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, Era Dawn Corder, and Ambera Roberts all previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. This case results from a nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” Roberts was sentenced to one and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on May 9, 2022. 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 Department, 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 is handling 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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Huntington Man Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered Incendiary DeviceRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced to time served for possessing an unregistered incendiary device, and placed on three years of supervised release to begin once he finishes a term of supervised release imposed for a prior conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, deputies with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters encountered Daniel Justin Watts, 36, while responding to a structure fire at his residence on Green Valley Road in Huntington on September 28, 2020. Watts admitted to them that he had constructed an incendiary device commonly known as a “Molotov cocktail,” which he ignited and threw onto the back porch of his residence, setting it on fire. Watts admitted to possessing the incendiary device and not registering it in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
In 2017, Watts was convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin and was sentenced to two years and one month in prison followed by three years of supervised release. After the September 2020 incident, Watts’ supervised release was revoked and he was sentenced to one year and six months in prison followed by one year and six months of supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office.
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-119.
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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 to prison today for their roles in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and other illegal drugs in the Huntington area.
Edward Shane Midkiff, 35, was sentenced to three years and one month for distribution of methamphetamine. Mark Anthony Chandler, 31, was sentenced to four years and four months for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Each prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Midkiff admitted that a confidential informant contacted him on January 12, 2021, to arrange a methamphetamine purchase. Midkiff directed the informant to the 500 block of 4th Avenue in Huntington to complete the transaction. At that location, Midkiff met with the informant in a vehicle and sold the informant methamphetamine.
Chandler admitted to receiving approximately one-half kilogram of cocaine from a co-defendant, William Raeshaun Byrd, in Huntington on June 30, 2021. Chandler was subsequently transporting the cocaine to another location when a deputy with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop of Chandler’s vehicle. Chandler fled from the stop and was arrested on a later date. During the stop, the deputy seized the cocaine as well a 9mm pistol that Chandler left in the vehicle. Chandler admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine.
All 18 individuals indicted have pleaded guilty in the case, the result of a long-term investigation that disrupted the DTO and its distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Law enforcement seized more than 47 pounds of fentanyl, 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 4.5 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of heroin, 14 firearms and $335,000.
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 Office, 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.
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. 3:21-cr-109.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for attempted possession with intent to distribute suboxone and conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jacob Benjamin Loper, 21, was an inmate at the Western Regional Jail on June 14, 2021, when he used recorded jail phone lines to speak with an individual outside of the jail. Loper instructed the individual to go to a residence at Marcum Terrace in Huntington to recover $1,500 worth of suboxone that belonged to Loper and was believed to be in the possession of another person. Loper consented to the individual carrying a firearm to retrieve the suboxone. Loper’s associate was unable to retrieve the suboxone from the residence. As Loper’s associate and another individual at the scene were driving away from the residence, a shootout occurred between them and an occupant of the residence. Subsequent to the shooting, Loper communicated via phone with the person believed to be in possession of the suboxone and threatened that if he did not receive his drugs or get paid for them, that shootings would keep happening.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Investigations Unit.
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-215.
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Culloden Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Culloden man was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Travis Lee Hanshaw, 49, admitted to selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant on June 15, 2018, at Hanshaw’s residence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s 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. 3:19-cr-198.
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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 one and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for her role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ambera Roberts, 34, admitted to participating in a conspiracy with Carlo Ramsey to distribute methamphetamine in and around Parkersburg. Roberts acquired methamphetamine from Carlo Ramsey and distributed it to others in the Parkersburg area between June and September 2021. Roberts was responsible for the distribution of nearly 100 grams of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
Roberts previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Matthew Edward Depew, Carlo Ramsey, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, Era Dawn Corder, 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.” 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 Department, 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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McDowell County Man Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A McDowell County man was sentenced today to 22 and one-half years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Timothy Edwards, 25, of Yaeger, must also register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Edwards admitted that from April 2020 through February 2021 he engaged in sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl. During that time frame, Edwards produced multiple videos of himself engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor child. He also directed the minor child to produce and send sexually explicit videos of herself to him. Edwards additionally caused the minor child to engage in live video chats during which she would send video of herself masturbating.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-186.
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Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A convicted West Virginia sex offender pleaded guilty today to failing to provide information related to foreign travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Andrew Todd Smith, 32, of Peterstown, Monroe County, admitted that he traveled to South Africa in November 2021 without providing the required advanced notification. Smith was required to register as a sex offender under SORNA after he was convicted of three counts of third-degree sexual assault in Monroe County Circuit Court in 2013. Smith admitted that when he registered as a sex offender with the West Virginia State Police, he signed written forms acknowledging his requirement to report any international travel at least 21 days in advance.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2, 2022, and faces up to 10 years in prison, supervised release of five years and up to life, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the United States Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police for conducting the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-50.
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Bluefield Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Pound of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Bluefield man was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eric Lee Flack, 43, admitted that on July 28, 2020, he sold approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine for $5,600 to an undercover informant. Flack also admitted to selling quantities of hydromorphone to the same undercover informant on two separate occasions in September and November 2020. He received approximately $3,500 for each transaction, and both occurred in Bluefield, West Virginia.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Bluefield Police Department and the Princeton Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-255.
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Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston residents pleaded guilty today to their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in and around Charleston from January to August 2021. The DTO obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from Ohio and Georgia which was then distributed in and around Charleston.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jonathan Gregory Bush, 39, admitted to driving from Charleston to Decatur, Georgia, to purchase methamphetamine, which he then distributed to lower-level dealers and users in and around Charleston. On July 19, 2021, law enforcement surveilled Bush and pulled him over near Atlanta, Georgia, after observing him meet with his supplier. Police searched the vehicle and seized approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine.
Brittany Frances Gilbert, 33, acknowledged she served as a drug and money courier for co-defendant Brian Dangelo Terry and others. She admitted to traveling to Ohio to pick up drug packages and transporting them to West Virginia. On January 25, 2021, Gilbert was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by police in Jackson County, West Virginia. Police seized approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine that Gilbert was transporting from Ohio at Terry’s direction. On August 3, 2021, Gilbert along with Terry and another co-defendant, Angie Lane Harbour, were stopped near Cross Lanes while transporting approximately 1 pound of Terry’s methamphetamine from Columbus, Ohio, to Charleston.
Bush and Gilbert each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. They are scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2022, and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
This case is part of a long-term investigation of a methamphetamine distribution network that resulted in 17 individuals being charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments and one information.
Terry, Harbour, James Edward Bennett, III, Treydan Leon Burks, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Jason Robert Oxley, and Michael Antonio Smith have also pleaded guilty. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. Scott Edward Hudson, 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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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on a residence on Norway Avenue in Huntington as part of a shooting investigation on July 7, 2021. Officers observed a vehicle believed to have been involved in a shooting and subsequently performed a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver was identified as Jabar Markeith Sellers, 32, and a firearm was found in plain view in the driver’s door panel.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sellers was aware he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of felony convictions in Franklin County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas for aggravated assault in June 2011 and possession of heroin in November 2016.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney 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-120.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm, Fentanyl-Involved CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the illegal straw purchase of firearms and to conspiring to have drugs including fentanyl smuggled into the Western Regional Jail.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Corey Michael Perkins, 33, admitted to picking out four firearms at Jewelry Gold & Pawn in Huntington on June 30, 2020, telling an employee he would send someone to purchase them. Perkins knew he could not purchase the firearms himself because of a prior felony conviction. Perkins instead instructed another person to purchase the four firearms for him, providing that individual with the necessary cash. He further admitted that he aided, abetted, counseled, and induced that person to falsely state and represent on ATF Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms, when in fact Perkins was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms.
Perkins also admitted that while on home confinement he coordinated with multiple individuals to get drugs into the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville from November to December 2020. Perkins used recorded jail phone calls to arrange for a package containing 228 suboxone strips, 1.4 grams of fentanyl/methamphetamine mixture, and 1 gram of methamphetamine to be transported into the Western Regional Jail. Perkins utilized an inmate and a person who worked at the jail to carry out the scheme. Perkins was aware that the drugs were intended for redistribution in the jail, and that he would receive money.
Perkins is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2022. He pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the illegal straw purchase of firearms, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for that crime. Perkins also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute suboxone, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine for that offense.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police, the Huntington Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Investigations Unit.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Cremeans and Ryan A. Keefe are prosecuting the cases.
The case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:22-cr-00056 and 3:21-cr-215.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty to the distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jeremy Lee Pettry, 38, admitted that he sold 28.13 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on July 29, 2020. Pettry further admitted that law enforcement officers seized 2.21 grams of cocaine, 15.73 grams of heroin and 5.78 grams of methamphetamine that he intended to sell, as well as a revolver from a closet, during an August 6, 2020, search of his 25th Street residence in Huntington. Pettry also admitted to selling approximately 30 ounces of methamphetamine in the months leading up to the search of his residence.
Pettry is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-246.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Firearm and Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of ammunition and for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dana Stevenson, 31, illegally possessed 9mm caliber ammunition on July 5, 2021. The ammunition was recovered at the scene of a daytime shooting at Central and Glenwood avenues on Charleston’s West Side.
Approximately five weeks after this incident, on August 12, 2021, South Charleston Police officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Stevenson, who fled at a high rate of speed. Stevenson was eventually apprehended and officers recovered approximately 38 grams of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle. The quantity of fentanyl and the presence of certain paraphernalia established that Stevenson intended to distribute the drug.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Stevenson knew he was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of his 2018 federal felony convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia for the distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Stephanie S. Taylor 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-161.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Robert Sanders, Jr., 30, of Ashland, Kentucky, admitted to supplying Matthew Edward Depew and Carlo Ramsey with methamphetamine that was then re-distributed by Depew and Ramsey in the Parkersburg area between June and September 2021. Depew previously admitted to acquiring several pounds of methamphetamine on consignment from Sanders and distributing it to third-party customers.
Sanders pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine.
Depew, Carlo Ramsey, Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, Era Dawn Corder, and Ambera Roberts 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.” All defendants are awaiting sentencing. The investigation also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County.
United States Attorney William S. 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 is handling 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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Huntington Man Sentenced for Fentanyl-related Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Eric Mashawn McNeely, Jr., 30, sold approximately 2.97 grams of heroin with the presence of fentanyl during a controlled buy in Huntington on February 28, 2019.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney 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-00122.
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Detroit Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man was sentenced today to six years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Augustus Darryl Jones, Jr., 30, arranged to distribute methamphetamine to a confidential informant on November 10, 2021, in Huntington. The West Virginia State Police pulled Jones over while he was driving to make the drug transaction and seized 460 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle. Jones admitted he possessed and intended to distribute the methamphetamine to the informant.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-242.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bobby James Mitchell, 41, admitted that a Hurricane Police officer found 499 pills containing approximately 54 grams of fentanyl in Mitchell’s vehicle during a December 11, 2021, traffic stop on Interstate 64 in Hurricane. Mitchell admitted he intended to sell the fentanyl.
Mitchell 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.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Hurricane Police Department for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-71.
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Federal Jury Finds Boone County Man Guilty in Connection with Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted a Boone County man today of attempting to damage the property of an energy facility, identified as a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
Evidence at trial revealed Brandon Beverly, 46, of Whitesville, helped to steal specialized mine equipment from the known mine in May and June 2019, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage.
Beverly is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
“I commend the West Virginia State Police and Lt. A.S. Perdue as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work on this case,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I also applaud Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Nowles Heinrich and the trial team for securing a guilty verdict. There is an extensive history of such wrongdoing in the Southern District, and this prosecution shows it won’t be tolerated. These crimes harm not just these facilities but the people who work at them.”
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-260.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man was sentenced today to five years and three months 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, Anthony Maurice Bell, 55, of Oak Hill, possessed more than 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and a firearm in Oak Hill on January 26, 2021. Bell admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Oak Hill Police Department, and the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-16.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to distribution of 5 or more grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Colin Webb, 32, admitted that he sold approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $760 in a Kanawha City parking lot on February 13, 2020.
Webb is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani 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-53.
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Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day; West Virginians Encouraged to ParticipateRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginians can rid their homes of unneeded medications, a simple yet effective step in the fight against substance use disorders, during the DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) organizes this national event, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is a ready partner. More than 70 sites across the Mountain State will offer a safe, convenient, and anonymous way to dispose of old, unwanted and unneeded medications that are susceptible to misuse.
“This is an easy measure to prevent the abuse of medication and cut off a potential gateway to addiction, “ said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “We know that a majority of opioid use disorders in West Virginia and nationwide start with prescription pills found at home.”
U.S. drug overdose deaths are up 16 percent in the last year, claiming more than 290 lives every day. According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, more than 106,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021, marking the most drug-related deaths ever recorded, with opioid-related deaths accounting for 75 percent of all overdose deaths.
A nationwide surge in fake prescription pills, made and marketed by criminal drug networks, is driving harm, violence, and overdoses. Fake pills, marketed as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public, are easy to purchase and widely available. Many counterfeit pills are made to look like prescription opioids. Fentanyl is commonly found in counterfeit pills, and is the primary driver in the alarming increase in overdose deaths.
On Saturday, April 30, 2022, DEA and its law enforcement partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.
A location finder and partner toolbox are available at http://www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,600 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing 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.
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Two Plead Guilty to Interstate Stolen Property ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two people pleaded guilty to charges involving the interstate transport of stolen property, arising from a scheme to obtain vehicles totaling $172,950 in approximate value from car dealerships in Kentucky and West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Millard Patrick, 52, and Mindy Turner, 51, admitted that Turner passed a bad check at a Louisville, Kentucky, dealership in June 2021 so they could obtain a 2020 Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $53,500. The two then transported that vehicle to West Virginia, where they unsuccessfully attempted to trade it in at a Charleston dealership for a more expensive Ford F-250.
Patrick admitted that he told an employee at the Charleston dealership that he worked for the United States Marshal Service, which he said would deliver a check in two days to pay for the trade-in. Patrick asked the employee to hold a personal check as collateral in the meantime. Patrick admitted that he told the employee not to be alarmed if an armed deputy U.S. Marshal appeared at the dealership to give him the check.
Turner and Patrick admitted that they passed another bad check at a Hurricane dealership in July 2021 to obtain a Jeep Cherokee with an approximate value of $60,056.22. The following day, the pair passed a bad check at a Ripley dealership to obtain a new Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $59,393.48. That same day, Patrick and Turner attempted to obtain a Ford F-150 with an approximate value of $64,108.24 from a Hurricane dealership. They were turned away when the bad check did not clear.
Patrick and Turner both pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transport of stolen property. Turner is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2022. Patrick is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4, 2022. Each defendant 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, commending the FBI for conducting the investigation and the Charleston Police Department, the Hurricane Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisville Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani 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-18.
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Putnam County Man Sentenced for Defrauding Elderly Citizens and Local BankRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Putnam County man was sentenced today to four years in prison for committing two counts of aggravated identity theft as part of his scheme to defraud a local bank and two elderly residents in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Robert Jones, 52, of Hurricane, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence and to pay $25,000 in restitution as a result of his offenses and similar relevant conduct.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jones admitted that an elderly woman from Clendenin hired him to do mold remediation and other handyman services at a Clendenin property that belonged to another elderly woman of advanced age. Jones admitted that he obtained blank checks belonging to the elderly homeowner and forged the signature of the woman who hired him. Jones wrote himself checks in this manner multiple times, in amounts payable of $7,000 and $8,500. Jones then deposited these falsified checks at the Hurricane branch of a local bank, where he had a checking account. Jones admitted that neither woman was aware that he used their personal identifiers in his efforts to obtain money from the bank.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. The Court cited Jones’ “despicable” criminal record, observing that Jones has a “persistent business of cheating people out of their hard-earned money” and that he “can’t keep cheating people and expect to get away with it.”
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office-Consumer Protection Division for conducting the investigation.
“The excellent investigative work in this case helped bring justice for some of the most vulnerable among us,” Thompson said.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case. Jones currently faces additional pending state-level charges in Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, and Putnam counties in connection with additional fraud schemes.
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-132.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, David Shannon Browning, 57, of Oak Hill, admitted to selling approximately 6.79 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at his residence on January 4, 2022. Browning was on supervised release for a 2010 conviction for aiding and abetting the distribution of oxycodone when he committed this offense.
Browning is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force and the Oak Hill Police Department for conducting the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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-35.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Leon Eugene Smith, Jr., 41, admitted to selling approximately 0.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in Lanark, Raleigh County, for $80 on September 15, 2020. Smith further admitted to selling approximately 1.3 grams of heroin on September 17, 2020, and approximately 1 gram of heroin on September 23, 2020, each time to a confidential informant in Lenark for $160.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on August 5, 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 Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-184.
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Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Facilitating Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Beckley woman pleaded guilty to interstate travel in aid of the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ciara Harvey, 26, admitted that she traveled between Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Beckley on December 15, 2017, to deliver a package containing methamphetamine.
Harvey further admitted that she made these roundtrips to transport drug packages about once every two weeks from October 2017 until mid-2019, and that she was paid $16,000 to $20,000 annually for doing so.
Harvey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conducting the investigation.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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-52.
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Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Being a Straw PurchaserRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman pleaded guilty today to providing false information on an ATF form in order to acquire a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2021, Arileah Lacy, also known as Leah, 24, bought a Ruger, Model Ruger-57, 5.7x28 caliber pistol, for an individual who is separately charged in a pending gun trafficking conspiracy, Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh.” Jones had given Lacy money to buy the firearm and told her which one to buy from a gun dealer in Beckley, West Virginia.
Lacy purchased at least six firearms as part of the overall scheme. Each time Lacy bought firearms for Jones, she lied on ATF Form 4473, Federal Firearms Transaction Records certifying that she was buying the guns for herself when she knew they were for Jones.
Lacy is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (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.
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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20th Annual Operation Reach Out Opening Ceremony to Help Mark National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will be commemorated April 24-30, 2022, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is sponsoring its 20th Annual Operation Reach Out Opening Ceremony to promote its observance.
The ceremony will be held at the West Virginia State Capitol on Tuesday, April 26, at 10 a.m. This year’s theme is “Rights, access, equity for all victims,” and underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing the rights of victims, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.
Stephanie Wilson will share her message of hope and strength for fellow survivors as part of Tuesday’s ceremony. Wilson was only 11 years old when a man posing as a store security guard lured her away from her mother at the South Charleston Target and sexually assaulted her at knifepoint. As a result of his July 2003 crime, the defendant was convicted and sentenced to prison on both federal and state charges. Wilson now advocates for crime victims and encourages them to remember that they are not alone.
“Stephanie is a true profile in courage,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson, who will emcee the event. “She has triumphed over a horrific ordeal and her continuing dedication to survivors and their loved ones is an inspiration.”
Thompson will present several awards during the ceremony and is also among the scheduled speakers, who include: West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice John A. Hutchinson; West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw; West Virginia Legislative Claims Commission Clerk Janet Kawash; and West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeff Sandy.
The ceremony is slated for the State Capitol’s South steps, near Kanawha Boulevard. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at the Senate side of the Capitol’s Upper Rotunda.
Each year, the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys’ offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide in April, to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. Operation Reach Out is a collaborative effort involving local advocacy programs that raise awareness of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and of the various organizations that provide services to crime victims.
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
The Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers.
More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/. You may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office, SDWV, Victim Witness Program at (304) 345-2200.
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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Two Boone County Men Plead Guilty in Connection with Damage to Energy FacilityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Boone County men pleaded guilty in connection with damage to an energy facility, identified as a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Danny Griffy, 57, of Sylvester, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility. Bradley Campbell, 27, of Costa, pleaded guilty to conspiring to damage an energy facility. The known mine is a West Virginia non-profit corporation engaged in the reclamation of a significant number of former mining permits and processes coal.
The case involved the theft of more than $5,000 worth of specialized mine equipment from the known mine on multiple occasions in April 2018, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage to the known mine. Campbell admitted to conspiring with others to steal the equipment, while Griffy admitted to aiding in the effort. Campbell and Griffy each admitted they and others sold the stolen equipment to a Whitesville business and converted the proceeds to their own uses.
Griffy is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27, 2022, and Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2022. Each man faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Griffy and Campbell have also agreed to pay restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police for conducting the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson 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. 2:22-cr-14, 2:22-cr-15, and 2:22-cr-77.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Re'Shaun Lamonte Wilborne, 36, admitted he possessed a Jimenez Arms, model JA NINE, 9mm caliber handgun found by Charleston Police officers when they arrested him on July 20, 2021, for an active state warrant.
Wilborne knew he has prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his January 2004 conviction in Fayette County Circuit Court for second-degree sexual assault and his August 2017 conviction in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Wilborne is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani 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-162.
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Cabell County Woman Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Cabell County woman was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kassie McNeeley, 22, of Lesage, delivered a package of methamphetamine for Myreo Dixon to an individual in an apartment on Crestmont Drive in Charleston on January 9, 2021. Dixon had directed McNeeley to deliver the package and collect $31,500 as payment for the methamphetamine. McNeeley utilized her cell phone to maintain contact with Dixon throughout the drug deal by texting him multiple times. When McNeeley left the apartment in her vehicle, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop and seized the $31,500 in drug proceeds.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of a long-term investigation, dubbed the “Woo Boyz,” which resulted in federal charges against 15 individuals and was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police. The Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) provided critical support to the investigative agencies.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the law enforcement agencies for conducting the investigation.
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-00032.
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Mercer County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mercer County man pleaded guilty today to distribution of hydromorphone.
According to court documents, Eric Hendricks, 46, of Bluefield, admitted he sold four hydromorphone pills for $100 to a confidential informant in the Bluefield, Mercer County, area on February 26, 2018. Hendricks further admitted to selling four hydromorphone pills to a confidential informant on February 21, 2018, and again on March 7, 2018.
Hendricks is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney John L. File is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-90.
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Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Homeowners in Three StatesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud after accepting payments for building projects he never intended to do.
According to court documents, William T. Hurst, 44, of Morehead, Kentucky, admitted he agreed to build pole barns for a pair of residents in Putnam and Jackson counties in March 2021, receiving checks totaling $10,186 as down payments. Hurst admitted he never intended to build either barn, and instead cashed or deposited the checks at area banks for his personal use.
Hurst further admitted to similarly scamming six other property owners in Ona and Lesage, Cabell County; Charleston, Kanawha County; Coolville and Willow Wood, Ohio; and South Shore, Kentucky, all between February 22, 2021, and March 23, 2021. In each instance, Hurst agreed to build a pole barn or other structure but never began any work or bought any needed supplies. These residents together had paid Hurst $25,032, which he kept for himself. Hurst eventually stopped communicating with the victims.
Hurst admitted to receiving a total of $35,218 as a result of his fraudulent representations, and pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2022, and faces up to 40 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation. The Cabell County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia Department of Revenue also provided assistance with the investigation.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-41.
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