Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Federal Jury Finds Ohio Man Guilty in Connection with Destructive Devices Found on Tug BoatsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After a two-day trial, a federal jury convicted an Ohio man of all four counts in a federal indictment charging him in connection with pipe bombs found on tugboats on the Ohio River.
Law enforcement officers recovered the destructive devices from two different tugboats moving barges on the Ohio River on October 21 and October 25, 2021. Evidence at trial revealed Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 42, of Marietta, Ohio, appeared on security video purchasing pipes and other relevant components of the devices from a Lowe’s store in Marietta on four separate occasions and close in time to when the devices were found. Around the time of the first incident, exterior security video from Lowe’s and the Walmart in Marietta showed Becker carrying pipe bomb components toward an Ohio River bridge. Investigators believe the destructive devices were dropped from the bridge.
Becker was found guilty of two counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device and two counts of placement of a destructive device on a vessel. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18, 2022, and faces up to 60 years in prison.
The jury also heard that similar devices were discovered on a third tugboat moving barges on the Ohio River on October 26, 2021. However, those devices were found to contain non-explosive septic tank cleaner and therefore Becker was not charged.
Becker was on probation at the time of the offense, following his August 2020 conviction in the Washington County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas for failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer. Becker had brandished a knife at an officer during a traffic stop and then led police on a car chase before barricading himself in his residence. Becker was arrested after a stand-off that ended when police forced entry into the home.
“We are fortunate that no one was injured. Such senseless potential for harm and destruction clearly required decisive action,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson in making the announcement. “The swift and successful investigation by the law enforcement agencies involved absolutely prevented this situation from becoming worse, and I commend them. I applaud Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua C. Hanks and Nick Miller, along with their trial team, for securing the guilty verdict.”
Thompson also thanked Lowe’s, Walmart and the tugboat owners – Crounse Corporation, Campbell Transportation Company and Marathon Petroleum Corp. – for their extensive cooperation in the case as well.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the jury trial. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.
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-00234.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and a fentanyl analogue.
According to court documents, Joseph Ira Patterson III, 38, admitted that he sold approximately 8 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on March 29, 2021, and again on April 21, 2021. Patterson agreed to deliver more methamphetamine to the confidential informant in Charleston. Patterson was driving in Charleston for that meeting on April 22, 2021, when law enforcement officers stopped Patterson’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded 907.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Patterson admitted he had obtained methamphetamine from a Huntington storage unit prior to traveling to Charleston. Law enforcement officers carried out a search warrant for the unit and seized 282.97 grams of methamphetamine, 231.7 grams of a fentanyl analogue, and 15.70 grams of cocaine as well as nine firearms and drug paraphernalia. Officers also searched Patterson’s Jackson Avenue residence in Huntington and seized 58.345 grams of methamphetamine, 7.50 grams of fentanyl, 42.53 grams of marijuana and 18.51 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
Patterson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022, and faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-218.
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Former Tri-State Airport Official Pleads Guilty to Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio woman pleaded guilty today to theft of federal funds after embezzling nearly $49,500 from the Huntington Tri-State Airport while employed as its finance director.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Melissa Sue Hall, 46, of South Point, Ohio, was the airport’s finance director from September 2017 until January 8, 2021. As finance director, Hall was responsible for accounting, depositing and withdrawing funds from multiple revenue sources including ATMs and vending machines. Hall admitted that between May 2020 and January 8, 2021, she stopped depositing the full amounts she collected from these machines into the airport’s bank accounts and also took money from those accounts intended for deposit in the ATMs. During this time period, Tri-State Airport received at least $10,000 per year in federal funding, which was deposited in its bank accounts. Hall admitted to diverting nearly $49,500.
Hall pleaded guilty to theft from programs receiving federal funds. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Hall also agreed to pay restitution in the case.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Huntington Tri-State Airport Police and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-54.
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Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A man residing at a St. Albans halfway house pleaded guilty today to enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, Robert Dale Eady, 55, was placed at the halfway house to finish a 15-year prison sentence for a 2009 conviction for distribution of child pornography. While residing at the halfway house, Eady befriended a 13-year-old male who lived nearby and began messaging and calling the boy. Eady admitted that during a live video call on May 4, 2021, he enticed and persuaded the young boy to show his genitals, and Eady showed his genitals to the boy.
Eady is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2022, and faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Prisons for conducting and assisting in the investigation.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:22-cr-00063 and 2:21-cr-00206.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Tekoa Rivers, 22, admitted that he sold fentanyl on April 29, 2021, in Huntington.
Rivers is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
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 Monica D. Coleman is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-27.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
According to court documents, Christopher Eugene Capers, 34, admitted that he possessed a Taurus G2 9mm handgun found by Huntington Police officers during a May 21, 2020, traffic stop. Capers was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by officers. The officers found the handgun in Capers’ waistband. Capers further admitted that while on home confinement following this incident, law enforcement searching his Huntington residence on June 26, 2020, found approximately 46.2 grams of suspected cocaine base, also known as “crack,” as well as drug paraphernalia and $3,734.25 in cash.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Capers knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of several prior felony convictions including a February 2019 conviction in Cabell County Circuit Court for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Capers is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department, and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-26.
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Detroit Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on a Bernard Street residence in Huntington on July 28, 2021, when they saw Marcellas Cortez Mitchell, 29, leave the residence in a vehicle. Mitchell was driving with a revoked license and officers stopped the vehicle. Upon approaching the vehicle, officers observed a front seat passenger making suspicious movements. A search of the passenger yielded two baggies containing suspected heroin. Mitchell admitted that he had given the passenger the baggies to conceal.
Mitchell pleaded guilty in December 2021 to possession with intent to distribute heroin. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory tested the contents of the two baggies, and found both contained fentanyl. One contained 6.53 grams of fentanyl and the other contained 9.83 grams of fentanyl.
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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
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 No. 3:21-cr-00139.
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Fayette County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County woman pleaded guilty to the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Brittany Ellen Flint, 32, of Fayetteville, admitted that she sold approximately 6.893 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on January 10, 2022, in Oak Hill.
Flint pleaded guilty Thursday and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2022. Flint faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
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.
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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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Joshua Radcliffe, 39, of Shady Spring, admitted that he used a Cobray Model D, .45/.410-caliber Derringer pistol to rob the Shop Rite convenience store in Shady Spring, Raleigh County, on December 1, 2021. Law enforcement officers found the firearm in his residence on December 6, 2021.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Radcliffe was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his August 2019 felony conviction in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for conspiracy to use firearms in a drug trafficking crime.
Radcliffe is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department for their work in the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-62.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Terrence Ramsey, 36, admitted that law enforcement seized approximately 26 grams fentanyl from the room in a home where he was residing when they arrested him on February 9, 2021. The arrest was on a federal warrant arising from a November 7, 2020, incident on Charleston’s West Side. A 911 call reported a passed-out driver in a stopped vehicle. Responding officers found Ramsey passed out inside a gold Toyota Camry. Ramsey admitted that when he was asked to exit the car, he attempted to flee and in doing so dropped a baggie containing 47 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture from the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and 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-00027.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Emmanuel Lamont Covington, 30, pawned a stolen Bond Arms Texas Defender, .45/.410-caliber Derringer pistol at a Charleston pawn shop on June 23, 2020.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Covington admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his 2015 felony conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie M. White and Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00128.
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Nicholas County Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man was sentenced today to two years in prison for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to court documents, a deputy with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department performed a lawful search of a vehicle in which Kevin Barnhouse, 41, of Summersville, was a passenger in November 2020. Barnhouse admitted he possessed a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield .40-caliber handgun and an American Tactical .22-caliber rifle with a high-capacity magazine found during the search.
Barnhouse admitted that he possessed the firearms and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of a 2016 conviction in Nicholas County Magistrate Court for domestic assault on a family or household member.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman 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-00201.
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Logan County Woman Pleads Guilty to U.S. Post Office EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County woman pleaded guilty today to misappropriation of postal funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brittany Ellis, 31, of Blair, was a former employee of the United States Postal Service who worked at the Blair Post Office in Logan County. Ellis admitted to taking approximately $4,486.45 in proceeds from the sale of money orders between October 11, 2018, and December 7, 2018, which came into her possession in the execution of her employment with the United States Postal Service.
Ellis is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the work of the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-148.
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Final Five Defendants Plead Guilty to Roles in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Five individuals pleaded guilty this week to roles in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Huntington that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
The five are the last of 18 individuals indicted to enter guilty pleas in the case, the result of a long-term investigation in which law enforcement seized more than 47 pounds of fentanyl, 4.5 pounds of cocaine, 2 pounds of heroin, 14 firearms and $335,000.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Marvin Jerome Calvin, 40, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl after admitting that he sold approximately 1.8 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington on July 6, 2020. Calvin further admitted that he distributed crack cocaine to a confidential informant on June 25 and 26, 2020. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Calvin’s residence in Huntington on August 6, 2020, the officers recovered approximately 1.6 grams of cocaine, which Calvin admitted that he intended to sell.
Reginald Jerome Hairston, 43, of Huntington, admitted he conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl between May and July 2021. Hairston acquired quantities of the controlled substances from co-defendant Christopher Leon Vest for purchase by other individuals. Hairston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Vest pleaded guilty in January 2022 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
Kimberly Ann Combs, 44, of Huntington, admitted that she bought 104 30-milligram oxycodone pills from co-defendant William Raeshaun Byrd at his Huntington residence on July 23, 2021. When Combs left Byrd’s residence, law enforcement officers stopped her vehicle and recovered the oxycodone pills. Combs further admitted she received oxycodone pills from Byrd on at least 10 other occasions in June and July 2021. Combs provided some of those pills to another individual. Combs pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxycodone and faces up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced on July 18, 2022. Byrd previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced earlier this year to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
Dillon Andrew Young, 28, of Sissonville, admitted that he spoke to co-defendant Scott Midkiff on April 9, 2021, using the cell phone of another individual. Midkiff asked Young to bring the phone to him because Midkiff believed that the owner of the phone had stolen a quantity of drugs and money from him. Young agreed to bring the phone to Midkiff in exchange for money and 10 grams of methamphetamine. When Young entered Midkiff’s Huntington residence, law enforcement seized the phone and arrested Midkiff. Young pleaded guilty to use of a communications facility in committing, causing, and facilitating a felony, controlled substance offense. Young faces up to four years in prison when he is sentenced on August 1, 2022. Midkiff pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy to distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Brayan Luces, 24, of Columbus, Ohio, admitted from May to July 2021, he regularly shipped a minimum of 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 1 kilogram of cocaine, to an individual in Huntington. The fentanyl and cocaine were transported by vehicle from Columbus to Huntington where they were provided to an individual on consignment. After the drugs were sold in the Huntington area, Luces would receive the drug proceeds, which were transported by vehicle to Columbus. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Luces’ residence in Columbus on July 22, 2021, and seized 13 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately $26,484 in cash, two firearms, and various magazines and ammunition. Luces pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine. Luces faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on July 18, 2022.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearings.
“This successful prosecution targeted and dismantled a significant supply chain of deadly and illegal drugs,” United States Attorney Will Thompson said. “As we know all too well, these drugs ruin untold lives across our communities. I therefore commend the FBI and our federal, state, and local investigative partners along with Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans who handled these prosecutions.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force – composed of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department – investigated the case. The West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West provided support. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus assisted in the investigation.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 30, 2021, officers with the Huntington Police Department observed a vehicle at the 3rd Avenue Speedway. The officers observed the driver and a passenger of the vehicle smoking marijuana.
The passenger, Jonathan Lee Sturkey, 37, was asked to step out of the vehicle. Sturkey admitted to the officers that he had a firearm. Officers retrieved a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver from Sturkey’s left coat pocket. Sturkey was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his 2011 felony drug conviction in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Sturkey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2022, and faces up to 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Huntington Police Department 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-21.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man was sentenced today to one year and three months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Martez D. Foy, 29, admitted he sold approximately 5.2 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on March 10, 2021. He also admitted to selling approximately 5.1 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on April 13, 2021. Both sales occurred in Huntington.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00222.
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Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman pleaded guilty today to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lettia Harris, 30, admitted to selling a firearm and approximately 0.6 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” to a confidential informant at her Charleston residence on November 14, 2018.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison.
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 their investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-117.
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Charleston Man on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Drug Crime Involving FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to a total of three years and 11 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and supervised release violations.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Charleston residence of Donavan Hardison, 31, on January 4, 2021. During the search, officers found approximately 2.826 grams of fentanyl on Hardison and approximately 3.672 grams of crack cocaine in his vehicle. Hardison admitted that he intended to distribute both controlled substances. Hardison was on supervised release at the time as the result of two prior federal convictions.
Hardison was sentenced to two years and nine months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine. He received a consecutive sentence of one year and two months for violating the terms of his supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. 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 Nos. 2:21-cr-00130; 2:18-cr-00040; and 2:15-cr-00135.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, James Meeks-Little, 29, of West Bloomfield, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the United States Marshals Service on June 24, 2021, in Beckley. At the time of the traffic stop, Meeks-Little was the subject of an arrest warrant. A search of the vehicle revealed 247.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl found hidden behind the glove box. Meeks-Little admitted that the fentanyl belonged to him and that he intended to distribute it.
A Springfield, model XD, 9mm semi-automatic pistol was also found during the search of the vehicle. Meeks-Little is prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his 2014 Michigan felony conviction for home invasion.
At the conclusion of the plea hearing, Meeks-Little was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department for their assistance in 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-129.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to the distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kevin Glenn, 37, of Detroit, admitted that he sold heroin to a confidential informant on May 21, 2020, in Beckley. He also admitted he had $32,020 in drug proceeds in his possession when he was detained by law enforcement on April 20, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Glenn is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for their assistance in the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-116.
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Beckley Man Sentenced for Fentanyl-Related Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis Douglas Harris, 35, sold a confidential informant approximately 2.5 grams of fentanyl and a Cobra .380-caliber pistol on March 4, 2021. Law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to conduct a second controlled purchase from Harris, during which Harris sold approximately 14 grams of fentanyl to the informant for $1,400. Both controlled buys occurred at Harris’ Beckley residence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for conducting the investigation.
United States District Judge 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-00148.
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Two Charleston Men Plead Guilty in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston men pleaded guilty today to drug offenses involving a multi-state methamphetamine distribution ring, with one of them also pleading guilty to a related gun crime arising from a foiled Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brian Dangelo Terry, 37, and Treydan Leon Burks, 31, admitted to obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine from out-of-state for distribution in and around Charleston. Terry admitted to distributing more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine between March 2019 and August 2021. Burks admitted to distributing between three and 11 pounds of methamphetamine between late 2020 and Sept. 28, 2021. Terry and Burks pooled their money in order to obtain the drugs, used couriers to transport drugs and drug proceeds, and distributed the drugs to lower-level dealers and users.
Terry pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At a separate hearing, Burks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
With regard to the firearm offense, Terry admitted that he, Burks, James Edward Bennett, III, and Douglas Johnathan Wesley armed themselves at Burks’ residence in Rand on July 4, 2021, and drove to Charleston’s West Side where they intended to shoot another man. Alerted to the plot, police in marked cruisers converged on the area. The four men abandoned their vehicle in a Washington Street parking lot due to the increased police presence. Federal agents executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered four loaded firearms, including an AR-style assault weapon with a drum magazine. Terry was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following felony convictions in 2005 and 2011, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
In his plea agreement, Burks also admitted his role in the July 4, 2021 incident. On March 2, 2022, Bennett pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm based upon his involvement in the plot. Wesley is scheduled for trial on May 24, 2022.
“This case represents an outstanding example of inter-agency teamwork and diligence that has not only dismantled a significant drug operation, but also prevented a violent crime from occurring,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “A quick response and coordinated effort by law enforcement spared Charleston’s West Side from another tragic incident.”
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 returned in 2021.
In addition to Burks, Terry and Bennett, several other individuals have already pleaded guilty: Denise Marie Cottrill, Angie Lane Harbour, Michael Antonio Smith, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, and Jason Robert Oxley. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted at trial last month. The remaining defendants are scheduled for trial on May 24, 2022.
Terry and Burks are scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, 2022, and each faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison.
In announcing the guilty pleas, Thompson commended the collaborative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) in investigating this drug trafficking organization.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over today’s hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Hanks and Alex Hamner are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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St. Albans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute five or more grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, A St. Albans police officer stopped Austin Nathaniel Miller, 24, for riding a dirt bike on a city street on Aug. 14, 2021. Miller admitted to possessing a gun, and the officer recovered a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun from Miller’s waistband. In searching Miller’s backpack, the officer found two packages of suspected methamphetamine with a combined approximate weight of 239.21 grams. Drug lab analysis determined that the methamphetamine was approximately 96.4% pure.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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-00204.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Putnam County man pleaded guilty today to attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, James Michael Pritt, 40, of Buffalo, admitted to contacting another man online and arranging to pay him $150 in exchange for the man providing him with a 14-year-old girl for sexual intercourse. When Pritt arrived at the meeting location in South Charleston, he was placed under arrest.
Pritt is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2022, and faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Andrew Isabell are prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-200.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Charleston from July 2020 to February 2021.
According to court documents, Myreo Dixon, 34, of Detroit, was sending multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine to Maylik Watson for distribution in Charleston. Dixon used Kassie McNeeley to drive the methamphetamine from Detroit to Watson in Charleston, and then to return the cash back to Dixon in Detroit.
One of these deliveries occurred on Jan. 9, 2021, when McNeeley brought Watson 8 pounds of methamphetamine from Dixon and received $31,500 from Watson to take back to Dixon. Law enforcement officers stopped McNeeley’s vehicle after she left Watson’s house, and located $31,500 in drug proceeds.
Dixon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The long-term investigation, dubbed the “Woo Boyz,” 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 U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police. The Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) provided critical support to the investigative agencies.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman 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-00032.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shawn Lamont Lane, 33, of Charleston, was arrested in March 2021 while in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine and a Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 9mm pistol. Lane also admitted that he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Charleston in July 2021.
Lane is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2022, and faces up to 20 years in prison for the drug offense and a consecutive sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison for the firearm offense.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00227.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man was sentenced today to two and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and information presented in court, Kevin Maurice Crider, 52, fired a round from a .45-caliber handgun into the ground during a June 8, 2020 dispute with a neighbor in the Marmet area of Kanawha County. Crider admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of his 2005 felony conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for attempted prescription fraud.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Marmet Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00125.
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Federal Jury Finds Raleigh County Man Guilty of Attempting to Entice a Minor to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Kenneth Owens, 58, of Surveyor, today of attempted enticement of a West Virginia minor to engage in sexual activity.
Evidence at trial established that Owens attempted to entice a 15-year-old female relative to send him sexually explicit photos of herself from April 1, 2020 through Jan. 12, 2021. Owens provided the minor with cigarettes, vapes and alcohol in exchange for the images. Owens initially communicated with the minor female relative through Facebook, and then by cell phone.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the jury trial. Owens is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2022, in Bluefield and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
“Bringing this case to trial and securing a guilty verdict underscores the commitment by this office and its many law enforcement partners to bring predators of children to justice,” United States Attorney Will Thompson said. “I commend the West Virginia State Police, the Beckley Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations for their work in the case. I congratulate Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Scott and Steve Loew along with the rest of our trial team for this successful prosecution.”
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-236.
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Charleston Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to four years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and information presented during the sentencing hearing, Richard Daniels Jr., 39, possessed a loaded Springfield Model XD 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine during a Dec. 12, 2020, traffic stop in Charleston. The handgun was later determined to have been stolen. Daniels admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of his 2003 felony conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Rock County, Wisconsin.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. 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-00183.
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Nicholas County Man Sentenced for Federal Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man was sentenced today to one year 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, a deputy with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the Mount Lookout residence of Brian Jacob Taylor, 35, in February 2021 to serve Taylor with a warrant for his arrest concerning an unrelated charge. Taylor asked the deputy if he could put a shirt on and secure his dog before being transported to the police station. While inside Taylor’s residence, the deputy observed a loaded shotgun and marijuana in plain view. Later that same day, the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department obtained and executed a search warrant for Taylor’s residence and located two loaded firearms as well as several controlled substances, including methamphetamine, a heroin-fentanyl mixture and marijuana. Taylor was prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of two prior felony convictions in Nicholas County Circuit Court for the delivery of a controlled substance.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman is handling the prosecution.
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-00019.
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New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to his role in a wire fraud scheme that involved the use of stolen identities to purchase two new trucks together worth more $100,000 from a pair of Charleston dealerships.
According to statements made in court, Julio Hisael Almonte, 31, of the Bronx, traveled to West Virginia in June 2018 and worked with a co-conspirator to fraudulently purchase the Ford F-150 Raptor and Toyota Tacoma using fraudulent identification cards and the stolen identities of other people. Almonte was arrested by the West Virginia State Police on June 30, 2018, in Braxton County, as he attempted to drive the Ford F-150 back to the New York area.
Almonte pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service also provided assistance with the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00160.
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Two Individuals Sentenced for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A McDowell County woman and a Virginia man were each sentenced to federal prison today for child pornography offenses.
Lacosta Steele, 25, of Iaeger, was sentenced to 15 years while Nicholas Aaron Icenhour, 25, of Tazewell, Va., was sentenced to 22 and one-half years during separate hearings. The prison sentences are to be followed by supervised release terms of 30 years for Icenhour and 20 years for Steele. Both are required to register as sex offenders upon their release from prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October and November 2020 Icenhour directed Steele, his then-girlfriend, to persuade a 12-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of her genitals, for the purpose of creating videos of this conduct. Steele then sent those videos to Icenhour. Steele also transported the same 12-year-old girl, at Icenhour’s direction, to R.D. Bailey Lake where he engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor.
Icenhour pleaded guilty to production of child pornography in January 2022. Steele pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography in December 2021.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“It is vital that we do all we can to stop such predators,” Thompson said. “The harm they cause our children, and our communities, is as far-reaching as it is tragic.”
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. The court called Icenhour’s conduct “outrageous and inexcusable” during the sentencing hearing. Assistant U.S. 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-00187.
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Mercer County Man Sentenced for Retaliating Against Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Mercer County man was sentenced to five years in federal prison today for retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer by filing a fraudulent lien and attempting to interfere with the administration of Internal Revenue laws.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber sentenced Jeffrey Reed, 62, of Flat Top to five years for the retaliation offense and to a concurrent three years for the attempted interference offense. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
A federal jury previously convicted Reed of both offenses following a two-day trial in August 2021. According to court records and evidence at trial, Mr. Reed owed a significant tax debt to the Department of Treasury and was employed by a hotel in the Oak Hill area. In 2015, after letters sent to Reed from the IRS were either sent back or ignored, an IRS revenue officer took steps to garnish a portion of Reed’s wages. When Reed learned of these efforts, he met with managers of the hotel and requested that they not comply with the IRS’ attempts to garnish his wages. In retaliation for a single wage garnishment of $598, Reed filed a $4.95 million lien with the Mercer County Clerk directed against the revenue officer and the owner of the hotel. Reed’s lien claimed 165 constitutional violations, including illegal search and seizure, war, treason and slavery. Reed also sought to attach any real and personal property owned by the revenue officer and the owner of the hotel.
Reed further claimed that the revenue officer owed him an additional $9 million because his name had been copyrighted.
Department of Treasury Special Agents testified at trial that they spoke to Reed in February 2020 at which time Reed admitted to filing the lien against the revenue officer. Reed further indicated that he filed the lien to obstruct the collection of his wages.
The court called Reed a “paper terrorist,” concluding his misconduct was “despicable” and “inexcusable” while citing deterrence as a factor in his sentencing
United States Attorney William Thompson commended the excellent work of the revenue officer and the Department of Treasury agents that worked on the case. The United States Department of Treasury, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administrations (TIGTA) Office of Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The prosecution was specifically authorized by the United States Department of Justice, Tax Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.
“The defendant tried to illegally and illogically manipulate the legal process for his own personal gain, which will not be tolerated by this office,” Thompson said. “Criminals cannot be allowed to target others, in this case a federal employee and a business owner, for following the law.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-66.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Marshall Lee Graves II, 37, admitted he illegally possessed three loaded firearms recovered by law enforcement officers while executing a search warrant of his residence in November 2019. Graves had previously been convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia of possession with intent to distribute cocaine in 2014.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Jeffrey also handled 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-00181.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Terrell Jerome Greenlee, also known as Julian Johnson, 34, of Detroit, admitted that on October 17, 2021, officers responded to a call for emergency assistance in Huntington. The caller stated Greenlee brandished and pointed a firearm at her. Officers responded and located Greenlee, who was in possession of a loaded firearm that had previously been reported as stolen. Greenlee admitted that at the time he possessed the firearm, he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had been convicted in the Circuit Court of Cabell County, West Virginia of first-degree robbery in May 2014.
Greenlee is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. 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. 3:21-cr-00224.
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Bluefield Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Bluefield man pleaded guilty today to possessing child pornography.
According to statements made in court, Christopher Paul Knight, 56, possessed computer image and video files depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexually explicit conduct.
Knight pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00262.
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Nicholas County Man Sentenced for Federal Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be served on home confinement, for fraudulently obtaining a line of credit.
According to court documents, James Woods, Jr., 48, of Craigsville, was sentenced to the one year to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Woods pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud in December 2021, admitting he applied for the line of credit under the name of a construction business he did not own. Woods admitted to the court that he did not have permission from the owner of the business to apply for the line of credit at this store to lease commercial construction equipment. The credit application was transmitted to Cross Lanes and eventually out of West Virginia where it was approved for $10,000. Woods then used the line of credit to lease a CASE Model 850 bulldozer and it was delivered to a jobsite that Woods controlled.
Once the owner of the business learned about the fraudulent line of credit, the equipment rental store was contacted and the bulldozer was recovered by the West Virginia State Police and the equipment provider.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and credited the investigative work of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, which uncovered the fraud in conjunction with a larger fraud investigation. The West Virginia State Police also helped with the equipment recovery.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Kathleen Robeson handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00001.
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* * * NOTE: On April 6, 2022, the Court vacated the one-year sentence imposed on April 1, 2022. U.S. District Judge Frank W. Volk resentenced Woods on May 27, 2022, to four years of probation and one year of home detention. * * *
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge based on his involvement with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Huntington.
According to court documents, Ricky Lee Taylor, also known as “RT,” 57, admitted that he arranged a cocaine base transaction on May 11, 2021, during a telephone call with an individual who was located in Huntington. After the transaction was arranged, Taylor traveled from Charleston to Huntington, met with the individual, and received the drugs. Taylor was then stopped by officers with the Hurricane Police Department on Interstate 64 returning to the Charleston area. Officers seized the cocaine base which Taylor admitted he intended to distribute. Officers also seized a loaded .40 caliber pistol Taylor possessed during the stop.
Taylor pleaded guilty to using a telephone to facilitate a felony controlled substance offense. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces up to four years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consisting of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109-16.
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Beckley Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to one year and nine months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Kaine William Durham, 25, possessed a Ruger P90 .45-caliber handgun recovered from inside his vehicle by law enforcement during a November 2020 traffic stop. Durham had been previously convicted in Raleigh County Circuit Court of felony wanton endangerment in 2017.
Durham pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in November 2021.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Beckley Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell and former Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Jeffrey prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00123.
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Woman Ordered to Pay More Than $4.65 Million for Stealing from Huntington Children’s CharityRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Chesapeake, Ohio, woman was ordered to pay more than $4.65 million today for stealing federal funds from River Valley Child Development Services (“RVCDS”), a non-profit organization located in Huntington. RVCDS provides programs, services, and support to children and families in the region.
Ruth Marie Phillips, also known as Marie Phillips, 69, previously pleaded guilty in September 2021 to stealing approximately $4,721,731 from RVCDS between December 2013 and August 2020. Phillips worked at RVCDS from December 1986 until September 2020, and held various positions at the non-profit organization, including Director of Business and Finance.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers ordered the restitution, offsetting the $4.7 million figure by more than $71,000 already returned to RVCDS. To assist with restitution, Phillips also previously agreed to forfeit substantial assets, including: $601,638.77 in proceeds from the sale of six airplanes; $304,576.49 in proceeds from the sale of a lake house at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia that she bought during her scheme to defraud the non-profit; and $169,954.58 in proceeds from the sale of property in Randolph County. Phillips has also agreed to forfeit proceeds from the sale of her residence in Chesapeake, Ohio, and several vehicles, including a Lexus RX and a Chevrolet Corvette.
Chambers sentenced Phillips in January 2022 to seven years in federal prison. The court departed upward from the sentencing guidelines, noting that the guideline range failed to account for the substantial harm Phillips caused the non-profit in the community and the impact Phillips’ theft had on taxpayers. Phillips pleaded guilty to theft of federal funds in September 2021.
While Director of Business and Finance at RVCDS, Philips was responsible for all financial operations, including monitoring accounts receivable, creating and submitting invoices, reconciling bank accounts and issuing checks. From July 1, 2016, to on or about June 30, 2017, RVCDS received approximately $7,131,756 in federal funding and Phillips used her position of trust and authority to steal approximately $964,012 during that period.
Phillips further admitted that between December 2013 and August 2020, she stole approximately $4,721,731 from RVCDS. During that period, she sent $1,142,500 to her personal checking account and sent another $3,395,500 to Attitude Aviation’s bank account. Attitude Aviation has offices at Lawrence County Airpark in South Point, Ohio, and Tri-State Airport in Huntington and provides aeronautical services, including fueling, rental of hangar space, aircraft rental, flight instruction and maintenance.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson announced the restitution order.
“Phillips did great harm to the children and families she should have been supporting,” Thompson said. “I commend our law enforcement partners and my staff for their pursuit of justice in this case.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Lawrence County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office, and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is handling the forfeiture of Phillips’ many assets. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the United States Attorney’s Financial Litigation Unit organized restitution in this 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-00135.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.
According to court documents and statements made in court, John Michael Wells II, 33, admitted to paying and arranging for methamphetamine and marijuana to be shipped through the mail from outside West Virginia to the Parkersburg area. The methamphetamine and marijuana would then be sold by another individual who would return to Wells to provide him with the cash proceeds from those sales. Wells would then use this cash to order more methamphetamine and marijuana from his suppliers.
Wells admitted to conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia during a conspiracy that lasted from at least October 2021 to November 2021.
Wells is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement, and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Parkersburg Police Department, and the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. 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-00266.
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Hurricane Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Hurricane man was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shea Owen Marsh, 33, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Marsh will also ordered to pay restitution to victims at a later date.
Marsh pleaded guilty in April 2021 to downloading videos and images of child pornography onto his cell phone several times while at his residence in Hurricane.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made today’s announcement. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:20-cr-00126 and 3:21-cr-00043.
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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Against A MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor.
According to statements made in court, Austin James Quesenberry, 27, of Dublin, Va., traveled from Virginia in December 2021 to St. Albans, W.Va, in order to meet a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, including sexual intercourse. He also sent the purported minor videos of himself masturbating.
Quesenberry is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-00011.
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Kentucky Woman Sentenced to Prison for $4.3 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Ashland, Kentucky woman was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison for her role in a $4.3 million fraud scheme against Toyota Motor Corporation.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Tammy Newsome, 55, was ordered to serve 15 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $4,335,663 in restitution.
Newsome was employed as an administrative assistant for Kentucky used car dealership Big Blue Motor Sales, which bought trucks at wholesale prices at auction, obtained hundreds of copies of Kentucky and West Virginia residents’ driver’s licenses, and fraudulently titled the trucks in the name of those residents.
Newsome helped induce Toyota to repurchase hundreds of fraudulently titled trucks at 150% of value between 2013 and 2015, as part of a scheme to misuse its warranty extension program. The scheme relied on Newsome to make false representations to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain false vehicle titles in the names of false owners. The titles obtained by Newsome were then used by other scheme participants to induce Toyota to repurchase the vehicles.
Newsome admitted that she made false representations to the DMV, delivered cash bribes to other scheme participants, and forged signatures of false owners so that checks issued by Toyota in the name of a false owner could be deposited into Big Blue Motor Sales’ bank account.
Newsome pleaded guilty to mail fraud in July 2020. Three other individuals were sentenced to prison earlier this year for their roles in the scheme: James Pinson, 46, of Wayne County, the owner of Big Blue Motor Sales, to six years; Frank Russo, 69, of North Carolina, a Toyota dealership service manager, to two years; and Stanley Clark, 68, of Poca, a transfer agent, to one year and three months. All three were also ordered to pay restitution.
U.S. Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner investigated the case.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Former Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman and Steven I. Loew prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:19-CR-00250, 2:19-cr-00222, and 2:20-cr-00028.
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Federal Jury Convicts South Charleston Man of Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Timothy Wayne Dodd, 46, of South Charleston, of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Evidence at trial revealed that Dodd was part of a large volume methamphetamine conspiracy operating in and around St. Albans and South Charleston during the summer of 2021. Trial testimony revealed that Shane Kelly Fulkerson traveled to Kentucky approximately once per week to obtain 20 or more pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Dodd was one of his lower level customers who on occasion helped to divide the shipments into pound and half-pound quantities to be distributed to other local dealers.
Fulkerson was arrested on August 11, 2021 in Putnam County after leading deputy sheriffs on a high-speed motorcycle chase. Upon being arrested, the deputies found 95 grams of methamphetamine, a pistol, and more than $70,000 in a backpack Fulkerson had strapped to the motorcycle. The FBI, along with local drug task force officers and the ATF, executed a search warrant at Fulkerson’s residence on August 12, 2021 and seized in excess of eight pounds of methamphetamine and more than 20 firearms.
Fulkerson pleaded guilty last Tuesday to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 16, 2022.
Dodd had previously been convicted in federal court in 2002 of attempting to manufacture methamphetamine for which he was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment. In 2014, Dodd was convicted in Roane County Circuit Court of attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine for which he was sentenced to one to three years imprisonment. In 2018, he was convicted in Kanawha County Circuit Court of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and was sentenced to one to five years imprisonment. Dodd was also convicted in Kanawha County Circuit Court later in 2018 of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Dodd was on parole at the time he committed the offense of conviction in this case.
“I commend the FBI, the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriffs’ Departments, ATF, and MDENT for their excellent work in this case and for their steadfast commitment to keeping our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson. “I congratulate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner, and the rest of the trial team for bringing this repeat offender to justice.”
Dodd faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 16, 2022.
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 in 2021.
James Edward Bennett, III, Denise Marie Cottrill, Angie Lane Harbour, Michael Antonio Smith, and Jason Robert Oxley have already pleaded guilty. The remaining defendants are scheduled for trial on May 3, 2022.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the trial.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents, Rashad Lewis Morris, 30, admitted to selling fentanyl to an undercover informant on four occasions in June 2021. On June 24, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Morris’ residence on Foster Avenue in Beckley. Morris admitted to possessing $2,900 in drug proceeds and a loaded firearm that was recovered from his bedroom. Morris previously pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk 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. 5:21-cr-00238.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Beckley man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Zachary Ryan Allen, 28, admitted to using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Allen admitted that on July 22, 2020, he was stopped by a police officer while driving on Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley. During the traffic stop, Allen admitted that he had a quantity of heroin and a firearm in his car. Police officers then recovered a quantity of heroin and fentanyl, a set of digital scales which are frequently used during drug trafficking, a small amount of money, and a Springfield Armory, model 911, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Allen further admitted that he intended to distribute the drugs found in his car and that the money consisted of the proceeds of drug trafficking activity.
Allen pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking activity and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on July 8, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.
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-00209.
McDowell County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A McDowell County man pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge relating to an arson and insurance fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Douglas Vineyard, 52, of Welch, admitted that on July 1, 2019, he bought a house on Princeton Street in Bluefield, West Virginia for $5,000. On July 31, 2019, Vineyard bought an insurance policy on the house. The coverage included for $285,500 for the dwelling, $142,750 for the contents and $14,275 for other structures. On the insurance application, Vineyard stated that the purchase price for the house was $50,000. In early August, Vineyard made an agreement with other individuals to burn the house down and collect the insurance proceeds. On August 6, 2019, the individuals set the house on fire. The house was a total loss. On August 16, 2019, Vineyard faxed a Sworn Statement of Proof of Loss seeking $285,500 in insurance proceeds for the house. The insurance company spent over $13,000 investigating Vineyard’s false claim, ultimately denying it.
Vineyard pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on July 18, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Gregory McVey is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00131.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sex Offense Against a MinorRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Makel Elboghdady, 37, an Egyptian national living in Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Elboghdady was also ordered to serve 20 years on supervised release after completing his prison sentence.
Elboghdady was previously convicted after a jury trial in May 2021. Evidence at trial revealed that Elboghdady traveled on February 28, 2020 from Columbus, Ohio to Huntington to meet a woman in order to engage in sexual activity with her purported minor daughters. Elboghdady believed the girls were 11 and 13 years old. When he arrived in Huntington and met with the person he believed to be the mother of the girls, Elboghdady was placed under arrest.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and 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. 3:20-cr-00069.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Scott Lee Midkiff, 35, admitted that he participated in the conspiracy from the summer of 2020 to July 2021. During the conspiracy, Midkiff frequently obtained quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to distribute to various customers in the Huntington area. Midkiff provided the drugs to customers on consignment and was aware his customers intended to redistribute the drugs. Midkiff also admitted that he participated in arranging drug transactions by steering customers to certain drug dealers when customers would contact Midkiff.
On April 5, 2021, investigators seized over 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 130 grams of fentanyl and $84,000 in cash that Midkiff had arranged to be hidden in a vehicle parked in Huntington. When arrest and search warrants were executed in the investigation on July 29, 2021, agents seized an additional 133 grams of fentanyl and $11,600 from a residence Midkiff shared with another individual.
Midkiff faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 27, 2022.
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 is comprised of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans are 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. 3:21-cr-00109.
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