Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Beckley Man Enters Plea to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Eric Dale Mills, 45, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2021, a Raleigh County Deputy Sheriff conducted a traffic stop on the car Mills was driving. Law enforcement officers searched the car and found over 50 grams of fentanyl and a small amount of methamphetamine. Officers also found small bags for packaging and scales. Mills admitted that he possessed the fentanyl and that he intended to distribute it.
Mills pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and faces not less than five and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on July 1, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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-00252.
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Alderson Man Gets Maximum Sentence for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jack Michael Smith, 35, of Alderson, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography. Smith was also ordered to serve the remainder of his life on federal supervised release after completion of his prison term and will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith uploaded child pornography from a computer in West Virginia to Kik Messenger and shared it with others in March 2019. Additional child pornography was shared from Smith’s account in October 2019. A conversation with another Kik user revealed Smith engaged in ongoing sexual abuse of a minor female. Smith admitted that he traveled from West Virginia to Oregon on a regular basis to engage in sexual activity with the minor female and took photographs of the minor female engaged in sexual activity with him. Smith also encouraged his girlfriend, Kimberly Crookshanks, to sexually abuse a toddler and take photographs of the abuse. Crookshanks is awaiting trial in the District of Oregon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Local law enforcement in Oregon assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence, finding Smith to be “an extreme danger to society.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie White prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00193.
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St. Albans Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today to two years in prison for a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2020, a trooper with the West Virginia State Police attempted to stop Joshua James Lambert, 33, who was riding a motorcycle with improperly functioning signal devices on Route 25 near Institute. Lambert tried to flee the scene on the motorcycle, reaching speeds of up to 90mph. When Lambert attempted to make a right-hand turn, he lost control of the motorcycle and wrecked. Lambert then fled on foot with a small black pistol in his hand, which he threw to the ground. The trooper caught Lambert and took him into custody. In searching Lambert, the trooper found several quantities of suspected controlled substances wrapped in small packages which Lambert admitted he intended to sell. The substances were tested at the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory and found to contain methamphetamine and fentanyl. The unloaded Raven Arms, MP-25, .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol which Lambert had thrown to the ground was also recovered.
United State Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00192.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Oji Williams, 42, of Ann Arbor, admitted that on August 1, 2020, law enforcement officers seized over 200 grams of fentanyl from behind the glovebox of a vehicle in which he was a passenger, after conducting a traffic stop in Charleston. Williams admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the fentanyl. Law enforcement officers also seized two firearms from Williams’ home after he was arrested.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. 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-00025.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Joshua Lee Parsons, 42, admitted to ordering controlled substances on the dark web and having the controlled substances shipped to him at his residence in Powellton. On February 24, 2021, the United States Customs and Border Protection at the John F. Kennedy International Mail Center in New York seized approximately 49 grams of heroin from an inbound international parcel addressed to Parsons and his residence. On March 8, 2021, several law enforcement agencies conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel and executed a search warrant at the Parsons’ residence. During the search, officers recovered a loaded Hi-Point .380 handgun and multiple controlled substances, including approximately 66 grams of methamphetamine packaged in 103 separate bags. Parsons admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine. Parsons told officers that he had another parcel that contained methamphetamine that he ordered and had shipped to him at his residence. On March 15, 2021, law enforcement intercepted that parcel, which contained approximately 223 grams of methamphetamine.
Parsons pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the work of the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Customs and Border Protection, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, the Metro Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the West Virginia National Guard Reconnaissance and Aerial Interdiction Detachment.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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. 2:21-cr-00093.
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St. Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shane Kelly Fulkerson, 44, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to federal drug crimes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from March 2021 until September 2021, Fulkerson participated in a drug trafficking ring operating in and around St. Albans. Fulkerson admitted he obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from out-of-state and distributed it in and around St. Albans. Fulkerson admitted selling more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to an informant on three occasions in July and August 2021. On August 11, 2021, Fulkerson fled on a motorcycle from Putnam County Deputies in Poca. He was arrested after dropping the motorcycle in a private yard near Winfield and fleeing on foot. Police recovered 95 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, and more than $70,000 from Fulkerson’s backpack. The next morning, FBI and drug task force personnel executed a search warrant at Fulkerson’s St. Albans residence where they seized more than eight pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 22 firearms, and several vehicles which were used to facilitate drug trafficking or were purchased with drug proceeds.
Fulkerson pleaded guilty 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.
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.
James Edward Bennett, III, Denise Marie Cottrill, Angie Lane Harbour, Michael Antonio Smith, and Jason Robert Oxley have already pleaded guilty. Timothy Wayne Dodd is scheduled for trial on March 22, 2022. The remaining defendants are scheduled for trial on May 3, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution.
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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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Incendiary BombRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to possessing an incendiary bomb.
According to statements made in court, on September 28, 2020, deputies with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters encountered Daniel Justin Watts, 36, at his residence on Green Valley Road in Huntington. Watts had constructed an improvised incendiary device, commonly known as a “Molotov cocktail”, ignited it and threw it on his property which started a fire. Watts admitted to making the device.
Watts pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Act and faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00119.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to a child pornography crime.
According to court documents, Curtis Ray Pelfrey, Jr., 35, admitted that from November 2018 to December 2019, he used eDonkey, an online file sharing program, to download and share videos and images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Pelfrey further admitted that on October 7, 2019, he received videos, using his computer, containing child pornography. Pelfrey admitted possessing on his computer 24 videos and five images depicting minors engages in sexually explicit conduct. Several of the images and videos have been identified as depicting known children. Pelfrey admitted that he has engaged in this sort of activity since 2014.
Pelfrey pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of five and up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 27, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie White 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. 3:21-cr-00244.
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Ghanaian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Ghanaian national pleaded guilty to his role in a romance fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Banabas Ganidekam, 24, received fraudulent proceeds from a romance fraud scheme in his bank account that was held in Ohio which he later transferred to a bank account in Huntington. Ganidekam lived in Westerville, Ohio at the time. Ganidekam received the money through wire transfer services including, but not limited to, bank wire transfers, personal checks and cashier’s checks. Ganidekam admitted that he received the fraudulent money from at least 14 different victims.
Ganidekam pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 21, 2022. As part of his plea agreement, Ganidekam agreed to pay restitution in an amount to be determined by the court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Gregory McVey and Kathleen Robeson are handling the prosecution.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov/.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-0071.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Rance McNeil, 48, sold a confidential informant approximately two ounces of methamphetamine for $1,200 on March 11, 2021. The transaction took place at McNeil’s Charleston residence. An informant conducted additional controlled buys of methamphetamine from McNeil at his residence on March 1, April 8, and May 13, 2021. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McNeil’s residence on May 18, 2021, resulting in the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as over $20,000 in U.S. currency. McNeil admitted he had been distributing bulk quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin and that the seized cash was drug proceeds.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. 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-00203.
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St. Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Robert Oxley, 38, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from March 2020 until June 2021, Oxley participated in a drug trafficking ring operating in and around St. Albans. Oxley admitted that he obtained methamphetamine and other drugs from two of his co-defendants which he then distributed. Oxley admitted that he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on March 22, 2021 and April 12, 2021. The drug transactions took place at Oxley’s St. Albans residence. Oxley further admitted that on May 21, 2021, he bought a SWD Cobray, Model M11/9, 9mm pistol from a local gun show. Police recovered it the next day after a co-defendant hid it while trying to evade a traffic stop. Oxley is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his three prior felony convictions. He was on parole at the time he committed the charged offenses.
Oxley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 6, 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.
Brian Dangelo Terry is scheduled to plead guilty on April 7, 2022. Shane Kelly Fulkerson is scheduled to plead guilty on March 15, 2022. James Edward Bennett, III, Denise Marie Cottrill, Angie Lane Harbour, and Michael Antonio Smith have already pleaded guilty. Timothy Wayne Dodd is scheduled for trial on March 22, 2022. The remaining defendants are scheduled for trial on May 3, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution.
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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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug offense.
According to court documents, Marcus Allen Johnson, 37, admitted that on June 5, 2021, he used a telephone to assist a co-conspirator involved in cocaine sales in Huntington. Johnson admitted that he was contacted and enlisted by the co-conspirator to find purchasers for kilogram quantities of cocaine. During the calls, Johnson agreed to market the cocaine to prospective purchasers.
Johnson pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense and faces up to four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 21, 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 TOC-West Task Force is comprised of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department. The West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West also provide support. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, the FBI and DEA in Columbus 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.
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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Columbus Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Donald Ray Jackson, 38, assisted in the sale of what was purported to be heroin to a confidential informant on August 30, 2016 in Huntington. A forensic chemist who analyzed the substance subsequently found it to contain a mixture of both heroin and fentanyl.
Jackson pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin and fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 13, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-00183.
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Akron Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in Multi-State Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron, Ohio man who helped lead a multi-state drug conspiracy was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, George Devonte Langford, 29, admitted that he participated in the conspiracy between April and September 2019. Langford admitted that he frequently acquired methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Akron area which he and others transported to the Southern District of West Virginia. Langford then distributed the drugs to various customers in multiple locations including Scott Depot, Charleston and Sissonville. Langford also admitted that customers traveled to locations in Ohio on multiple occasions, including Akron and Canton, where he met with them to provide them with methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Langford was aware that these customers traveled from, and intended to return to, West Virginia with the drugs where they would be re-distributed. Langford previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-000246.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging a Coal MineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty to damaging a coal mine.
According to court documents, Ricky Sprouse, 46, of Naoma, admitted damaging a coal mine and stealing specialized equipment from the coal mine.
Sprouse pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 8, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-00045.
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Mexican National Man Pleads Guilty to and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national man pleaded guilty to the felony offense of reentry of a removed alien. Enoc Lopez-Garcia, 29, was found guilty by the Court and sentenced to “time served,” having spent approximately four months in federal custody. Lopez-Garcia was subsequently remanded to ICE custody for possible removal proceedings from the United States.
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, on November 9, 2021, Lopez-Garcia was found in Parkersburg by members of ICE who had identified him during the course of an investigation. ICE agents spoke to the defendant to confirm his identity. Lopez-Garcia had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States, and he was placed under arrest.
Fingerprinting matched Lopez-Garcia to three prior administrative removals from the United States, one in 2014 and two in 2019. Lopez-Garcia has misdemeanor convictions in Jackson County for battery and brandishing deadly weapons. Lopez-Garcia never obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Lopez-Garcia is a citizen of Mexico.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Street Crimes Unit of the Parkersburg Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Erik S. Goes 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. 2:21-cr-00248.
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Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman was sentenced today to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on August 27, 2020, law enforcement officers stopped Kayla Slater, 29, walking on Beech Avenue in Charleston after a car she was sighted in took off from police. Officers seized a Beretta Px4 Storm 9mm semi-automatic pistol in plain view in Slater’s handbag and approximately 80 grams of fentanyl from her person. Slater later admitted to the officers that the gun and drugs were hers, that she had been trafficking large quantities of controlled substances, and that she was addicted to heroin. Slater is prohibited from possessing firearms due to being an habitual user of a controlled substance
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00079.
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South Charleston Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston man was sentenced today to five years in prison for a federal drug crime.
According to statements previously made in court, Marquise Culbreath-Claytor, 26, possessed 134 grams of methamphetamine when a vehicle in which he was a passenger was stopped by a West Virginia State Police Trooper in Boone County on April 1, 2021. Culbreath-Claytor previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and admitted that he intended to sell the drug.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00190.
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Poca Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Poca man pleaded guilty today to transportation of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Keegan Shane Stanley, 31, uploaded videos of child pornography to Dropbox, an online file sharing website. A search of his residence revealed over 1,600 images of child pornography
Stanley is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2022 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie White 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. 3:21-cr-00208.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Methamphetamine and Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman pleaded guilty today to a federal methamphetamine and fentanyl charge.
According to the plea agreements and statements made in court, Erica Antoinette Kirker, 35, admitted that on April 5, 2021 she possessed approximately 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 138 grams of fentanyl, and over $84,000 in cash at her residence on 3rd Avenue in Huntington. Kirker placed the items in a vehicle and parked the vehicle in a parking garage in downtown Huntington. Investigators conducted a search of the vehicle on that date and seized the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cash. Kirker admitted that she intended to sell the drugs and that the currency constituted proceeds from prior drug sales.
Kirker pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when she is sentenced on June 21, 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 consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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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Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Augustine Amechi, 24, a Nigerian national, was sentenced today to one year and a day in federal prison for receipt of stolen money. Amechi pleaded guilty to the charge in November 2021 and as part of his plea agreement agreed to pay at least $192,762.19 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements, Amechi was involved from at least 2018 to March 11, 2021 with others in a fraud scheme that took place in Huntington and elsewhere. Amechi lived in Huntington and attended Marshall University during his involvement in the fraud scheme. Amechi admitted that romance fraud victims were convinced to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons to bank accounts controlled by him in Cabell County. The money received by Amechi was sent through bank wire transfers, Western Union, MoneyGram, money orders and cashier’s checks. Amechi admitted to receiving approximately $108,601.92 directly deposited into his bank accounts from victims, over $150,000 in cash mailed in packages to his Huntington residence and over $140,000 in deposits from Zelle. Amechi further admitted that he obtained stolen money from at least 37 different fraud victims, and after he received the money, he would keep some of it for himself and forward some of the stolen money to others. Amechi transferred more than $15,000 to bank accounts in Nigeria.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Gregory McVey and Kathleen Robeson handled the prosecution.
The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov/.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-0069
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to a federal fentanyl charge.
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Ian Wyatt Justice, 20, admitted that on March 16, 2021, Huntington Police officers were conducting a drug investigation and observed him enter a residence located on Charleston Avenue in Huntington. The officers executed a search warrant at the residence on that date and Justice, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested. During the search, officers seized a number of items including fentanyl, three firearms, and items used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Justice admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl and that he had been selling fentanyl in Huntington in the months leading up to the search.
Justice pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and faces five to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 13, 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 Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams 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. 3:22-cr-00009.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, during the summer of 2021, Michael Antonio Smith, 49, kept firearms and drugs in his residence in Rand for a member of a multi-state methamphetamine distribution organization operating in and around Charleston. On September 29, 2021, police executed a federal search warrant at Smith’s residence on Elaine Drive where they recovered four firearms and approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine. Smith is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his two prior felony convictions in Kanawha County Circuit Court for wanton endangerment with a firearm and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Smith is one of seventeen defendants charged as a result of this investigation. Angie Lane Harbour and Denise Marie Cottrill pleaded guilty to methamphetamine charges in February. James Edward Bennett pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on March 2, 2021. Brian Dangelo Terry and Jason Robert Oxley are scheduled to plead guilty on March 14, 2022.
Smith pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner are 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 Nos. 2:21-cr-211, 2:21-cr-172, and 2:21-cr-171.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James David Morris, Jr., 43, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and 11 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and violating his supervised release that was imposed as a result of his 2018 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morris had been out of prison for less than one year and was serving a term of supervised release when he committed the 2021 offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Morris admitted to being in possession of a Winchester 12 gauge shotgun found by law enforcement officers in his home on June 10, 2021. Morris was not legally permitted to possess firearms due to two prior convictions for federal firearms offenses. In addition to the 2018 conviction, Morris has a 2013 federal conviction for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. That conviction resulted from an incident in which Morris and an associate pointed firearms at West Virginia State Troopers, and Morris’ associate fired at least one shot at the troopers.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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 Nos. 5:18-cr-00071 and 5:21-cr-00158.
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Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in $4.3 Million Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Pinson, 46, of Wayne County, and Frank Russo, 69, of North Carolina, were sentenced today for their roles in defrauding Toyota of over $4.3 million in connection with a Toyota Customer Support Program. Both men also will be required to pay restitution of up to $4.3 million to Toyota.
Pinson was sentenced to six years in federal prison. A federal jury convicted Pinson in December 2021 of three counts of wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of conspiring to commit money laundering. Pinson was the owner of Big Blue Motor Sales, a Kentucky used car dealership. Evidence at trial revealed that to carry out his scheme, Pinson bought Toyota trucks at wholesale prices at auction, obtained hundreds of copies of Kentucky and West Virginia residents’ driver’s licenses, fraudulently titled the trucks in the name of those residents, and fraudulently induced Toyota to repurchase the trucks at 150% of their retail value. Toyota issued 350 checks in the names of individual false owners between 2013 and 2015. Pinson forged signatures on all 350 checks and deposited them into his bank account. Pinson then used the money from this fraud scheme to buy more Toyota trucks at wholesale to run through the scheme. He also paid cash bribes to Frank Russo and Stanley Clark. Earlier this week, Clark was sentenced to one year and three months in prison. Pinson further used the criminally-derived money from the fraud scheme to purchase a beach house in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina.
Russo was sentenced to two years in federal prison for wire fraud. Russo pleaded guilty to the charge in July 2020. Russo was employed as service manager by a Toyota dealership in Kanawha County. Russo admitted that he participated in the fraud scheme by ensuring that vehicles brought to the Toyota dealership qualified for the extended warranty extension program. Russo admitted that he sent false ownership information to Toyota by electronic wire in furtherance of the scheme. Russo admitted that he received bribes or kickbacks from Big Blue Motor Sales for his participation in the scheme.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of 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.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Steve Loew and Andrew Tessman 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 Nos. 2:19-CR-00250 and 2:19-cr-00222.
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Thirteen Individuals Indicted in Connection with Their Roles in Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms from Beckley to PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow, Louisville Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today that a federal grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging 13 individuals in connection with their roles in a conspiracy to traffic over 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than 30 of the firearms have been recovered in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent crimes.
Charged with conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license are:
Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Derrick Woodard, also known as “D,” 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Shyheem Woodard-Smith, also known as “Peanut” and “Nut,” 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hassan Abdullah, also known as “San,” 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Denise Johnson, 24, of Beckley, West Virginia
Shakyrah Ross, 23, of Beckley, West Virginia
Tyana Bly, also known as “Biggie,” 22, of Beckley, West Virginia
Stephanie Cohernour, 32, of Fayetteville, West Virginia
Maurice Johnson, 35, of Mount Hope, West Virginia
Arileah Lacy, also known as “Leah,” 23, of Beckley, West Virginia
Terri Lawhorn, 27, of Oak Hill, West Virginia
Lakeshia Nicole Simon, 22, of Beckley, West Virginia
Donte Webster, 22, of Beckley West Virginia
According to the indictment, from approximately June 2020 to July 2021, Jones, Woodard, Woodard-Smith, and Abdullah recruited individuals to straw purchase firearms on their behalf. The indictment further alleges that Jones caused the straw purchases to be conducted to obtain firearms for himself, Woodard, Woodard-Smith and Abdullah without there being a record that they were the actual buyers. As part of the conspiracy, Jones, Woodard, Woodard-Smith and Abdullah traveled from Philadelphia to the Beckley area to acquire firearms for the purpose of reselling them for profit in Philadelphia and often accompanied the straw purchasers to various gun stores. Jones, Woodard, Woodard-Smith and Abdullah are also charged with travelling interstate with the intent to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
Defendants Bly, Cohernour, Maurice Johnson, Lacy, Lawhorn, Simon and Webster are charged with providing false information during the acquisition of firearms at various gun stores in the Beckley area. The indictment alleges that these defendants made false statements on ATF Form 4473 certifying that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were actually purchasing the firearms for others.
The indictment alleges that during the scheme straw purchasers bought over 130 firearms in or near Beckley and delivered them to others in the conspiracy for transfer to Philadelphia.
The indictment also charges Jones with being a felon in possession of a firearm, alleging that he possessed a Ruger, Model-LC9S, 9-mm pistol on March 11, 2021. Jones is prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a 2010 felony conviction for robbery in Pennsylvania.
“The gun trafficking pipeline through which these defendants were supplying crime guns to Philadelphia has been shut down as a result of this investigation,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “We will continue to work with ATF and our state and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute gun traffickers and straw purchasers that put guns in the wrong hands and fuel violence in our cities.”
“One of the ways we accomplish our mission is by identifying sources of crime guns and those who illegally supply firearms used to commit acts of violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we disrupt and dismantle illegal supply networks to keep firearms from being trafficked to places where they are used to harm our communities. Firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime. It is illegal and it puts firearms into the hands of prohibited persons and criminals who often use them to commit acts of violence. No community is immune to gun violence. What’s happening in one community impacts others, and today highlights how West Virginia law enforcement is working together to protect our communities and our neighbors.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Philadelphia Field Division of the ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Oak Hill Police Department, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Beckley Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department and the West Virginia Fusion Center.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is handling the prosecution.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00046.
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Dunbar Man Ordered to Pay over $70,000 for Defrauding Local Non-profitRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Dunbar man was sentenced to two years of federal probation and ordered to pay over $70,000 in restitution for defrauding a community caretaking non-profit that serves the West Dunbar, Institute, and Pinewood areas. The non-profit provides those communities with important services such as neighborhood clean-ups, pothole filling and road paving, senior citizen events, landscaping and grass cutting in common areas, the installation and maintenance of approximately 200 streetlights to deter crime and promote safety.
According to court documents, Walter Greenhowe, 73, was President of the non-profit from 2014 through 2018. While serving as President, Greenhowe engaged in a scheme to defraud the non-profit of approximately $130,349.07 by using the organization’s debit card to obtain cash for his personal use at roadside gaming parlors in and around Dunbar, Nitro, St. Albans, Cross Lanes, and South Charleston. These cash withdrawals often occurred late at night or in the early morning hours. Greenhowe admitted these transactions were unauthorized and unapproved by the non-profit.
Greenhowe also admitted that in 2017, during the course of his debit card fraud, he obtained a $25,000 donation check from a chemical company in Institute. Greenhowe did not turn this check over to the non-profit and instead opened a bank account under the non-profit’s name at a different bank than the one regularly used by the non-profit. Greenhowe deposited the donated check into the account and then withdrew the funds in cash over the course of three months.
Representatives of the non-profit and community members were present at the sentencing hearing today and addressed the Court directly. They expressed their need for restitution so that their organization could be restored to financial solvency as soon as possible to continue serving the citizens of the West Dunbar, Institute, and Pinewood communities.
The Court acknowledged the non-profit’s desire to restore itself to financial solvency and ordered Greenhowe to pay restitution of $70,349.07. Greenhowe previously repaid approximately $85,000 to the non-profit prior to the discovery of his fraud.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police, West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the U.S. Attorney Office’s Financial Litigation Unit is coordinating restitution.
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-00133.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Edward Bennett III, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 4, 2021, the FBI was conducting a wiretap investigation of a multi-state methamphetamine distribution organization operating in and around Charleston. Intercepted calls alerted the agents that Bennett and three other men planned to murder a man on the West Side of Charleston. Surveillance confirmed that Bennett and the others armed themselves and traveled in a rented SUV from Rand toward the West Side. The Charleston Police Department deployed multiple marked vehicles to the area to establish a highly visible presence. The driver of the SUV parked at the Kroger fuel station on Washington Street. Upon seeing the numerous police cruisers, Bennett and the other men abandoned the vehicle and left the area. The FBI impounded the vehicle and executed a search warrant, recovering four loaded pistols and a .223 caliber pistol modified to resemble an “AR-style” firearm with a loaded drum magazine from the vehicle. Bennett admitted the he possessed a 9mm pistol and the .223 caliber pistol with the drum magazine. Bennett is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his previous felony convictions in Kanawha County Circuit Court which include first degree robbery in 2010, voluntary manslaughter in 2017, and unlawful wounding in 2019.
Bennett pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 23, 2022.
“The quick response of our law enforcement partners prevented a shooting on Charleston’s West Side,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Public safety is always at risk when felons possess firearms, especially when they have a history of violent crime convictions. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the FBI, the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and MDENT, we will continue to thwart violent crimes in our communities.”
Brian Dangelo Terry, 37, is scheduled to plead guilty to his role in the offense on March 14, 2022. Treydan Leon Burks, 31, and Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33 are scheduled for trial on May 3, 2022.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution.
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 Nos. 2:21-cr-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to the distribution of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents, Deandre Antonio Ziegler, 31, who is also known as “Little D,” admitted to distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” to an undercover informant on five different occasions in July and August 2020.
Ziegler pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine base and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 6, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department Drug Unit and the FBI’s Southern West Virginia Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) West Task Force.
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-00017.
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Sissonville Man Sentenced for Role in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Sissonville man was sentenced today to two years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Frederick Clyde Waite, 49, previously admitted that he participated in the conspiracy with multiple other individuals between July of 2019 and September of 2019. Waite participated in the distribution of methamphetamine that was transported to West Virginia from Akron during the conspiracy. In addition to receiving three pounds methamphetamine on July 25, 2019, Waite admitted that he attempted to acquire additional methamphetamine in the Akron area which was to be transported to West Virginia. After Waite negotiated the purchase of methamphetamine over the telephone, another individual traveled to Ohio to receive the drugs. The individual was stopped returning to West Virginia and troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol seized over 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine from the vehicle.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of multiple federal and local agencies. This joint investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution..
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. 3:19-cr-000246.
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Putnam County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Putnam County man was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
According to court documents, on November 15, 2020, a trooper with the West Virginia State Police arrested Dennis Wayne Snyder, 31, on an outstanding warrant. The arrest took place at a gas station in Nitro. The trooper searched the vehicle Snyder was in and found approximately 221 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 31 grams of heroin. Snyder also had digital scales, plastic bags, and $2,842 in his possession.
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, which is comprised of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department and the Marshall University Police Department. The West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West provide investigative support to the task force. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio, also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney L. Cremeans and Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109.
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Poca Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in $4 Million Warranty Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Stanley Clark, 68, of Poca, was sentenced to one year and three months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Toyota of more than $4 million. He will also be required to pay restitution to Toyota.
According to court documents, Clark was employed as a transfer agent for a company contracted by Toyota to administer an extended warranty extension program where Toyota had offered to repurchase certain trucks for 150% of their value, so long as those trucks were owned by individual Toyota customers. Clark admitted he was a participant in a fraudulent scheme whereby a Kentucky used car dealership, Big Blue Motor Sales, bought trucks at wholesale prices at auction, obtained hundreds of copies of Kentucky and West Virginia residents’ driver’s licenses, fraudulently titled the trucks in the name of those residents, and induced Toyota to repurchase the trucks at 150% of value.
Clark admitted that the execution of the scheme relied on him to coordinate fraudulent truck repurchase meetings, work with a notary to forge the false owners’ signatures on truck repurchase documentation, and mail the fraudulent repurchase documentation that induced Toyota to repurchase the trucks. Clark received a cash payment from Big Blue Motor Sales for every fraudulent transaction. The scheme participants ran 350 trucks through the scheme between 2013 and 2015, causing approximately $4.3 million in losses to Toyota. Clark pleaded guilty to mail fraud in February 2020.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence and noted that a term of imprisonment was appropriate in this case because the fraud scheme was not a short term operation and it involved hundreds of crimes completed over and over again.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Former Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad and Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman and Steven I. Loew are 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. 2:20-cr-00028.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to one year and three months in federal prison for prohibited possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Kevlin Jerrod Jackson, 41, previously admitted that on May 12, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence located on 7th Street in Huntington. Jackson, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested after investigators seized a .45 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol from his residence. Jackson later admitted that he possessed the firearms, that he was a convicted felon, and that he used another individual to purchase the firearms on his behalf. Jackson was convicted of distributing cocaine in 2011 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of his conviction.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams 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. 3:21-cr-00091.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Franklin Delano Chafin, 32, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 18, 2019, a law enforcement officer responded to a reported drug complaint at a residence on 23rd Street in Huntington. Upon leaving the residence, the officer came across Chafin who had been riding a bicycle and wearing a backpack. The officer and Chafin spoke, at which time the defendant refused to keep his hand out of his pocket. Chafin then admitted that he had needles on him that he wasn’t supposed to have because he was on probation. Chafin further admitted that there was a gun in his backpack. The officer searched the backpack and recovered a loaded .357 Magnum Ruger revolver. Chafin is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his 2009 felony convictions for robbery in the 1st degree in Wayne County Circuit Court and burglary in Cabell County Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe handled the prosecution.
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. 3:19-cr-00200.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Parrish Wayne Spurlock, 54, sold a confidential informant 0.8 grams of suspected fentanyl on May 11, 2021. The drug transaction took place behind Spurlock’s Huntington residence on North High Street. Testing by the West Virginia State Police Lab confirmed the substance was fentanyl. Spurlock admitted to law enforcement officers that he had sold significant amounts of methamphetamine and heroin over an approximate one year period.
Spurlock faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 6, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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. 3:21-cr-00250.
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Raleigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County woman pleaded guilty today to a federal fraud charge.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Wanda Jane Goode, 42, of Shady Spring, was a cashier at a supermarket located in Beaver that sold Visa prepaid debit cards. As a cashier, part of Goode’s job was to activate these prepaid cards. From April 2019 to September 2019, Goode fraudulently activated numerous prepaid cards for her own personal use. During the scheme, Goode made more than $87,000 in fraudulent purchases or payments with the prepaid cards. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Goode will pay $87,265.50 in restitution.
Goode pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced on June 16, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Secret Service.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Negar Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-00008.
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Beckley Woman Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Cayla Danielle Lindsay, 28, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years and nine months in federal prison for using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Lindsay admitted that on July 23, 2020 during a traffic stop of a car she was driving in Beckley, law enforcement officers found approximately 27 grams of heroin that she intended to distribute. The officers also found a Springfield, XDS 9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol Lindsay was carrying at the time. Lindsay also admitted that on May 6, 2021, she possessed a SCCY, CPX-2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The firearm was found during a search law enforcement conducted at her residence in Beckley. Lindsay acknowledged that at the time she possessed the firearm she knew she had been previously convicted in federal court of the felony offense of distribution of oxycodone, and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess 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. 5:21-cr-00090.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced to two years in prison for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Durran Merille Garland, 28, sold an ounce of cocaine to a confidential informant for $1,000 on March 13, 2018 in Huntington. Garland admitted to selling methamphetamine to the same confidential informant on two other occasions. During a search of Garland’s Huntington residence in April 2018, law enforcement officers recovered an M&P .40 Caliber Shield handgun.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Jeffrey 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. 3:19-cr-00004.
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Two Huntington Men Involved in Multi-State Drug Ring Appear in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington men who participated in a multi-state drug ring appeared today in federal court.
Aaron Scott Midkiff, 36, was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 14, 2021, Midkiff was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by deputies with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department. Midkiff had approximately 166 grams of methamphetamine in his possession at the time deputies initiated the traffic stop. The methamphetamine was thrown out of the vehicle just prior to the vehicle stopping and was recovered by deputies. Midkiff also had digital scales, plastic bags, and $6,617 in his possession.
William Edward Nellons, Jr., 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Nellons admitted that he participated with others in the conspiracy from April to July 2021. During the conspiracy, Nellons regularly received cocaine and fentanyl which he distributed to others in the Huntington area. At times, Nellons received the drugs on consignment and returned drug proceeds to his source of supply after he conducted the distributions. Nellons also admitted that he utilized a co-conspirator’s residence to store fentanyl that he distributed during the conspiracy. Nellons faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 23, 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 consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney L. Cremeans and Joseph F. Adams 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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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to four counts of distribution of cocaine.
According to statements made in court, Jason Edward D’Arco, 40, sold a total of almost three-quarters of a pound of cocaine to a confidential informant on four occasions in January and February 2020. The drug sales occurred at Jimmy John’s sandwich shop in Charleston and D’Arco’s residence.
D’Arco faces up to 80 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 25, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Charleston Police Department. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) provided assistance during the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. 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-00263.
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Charleston Felon Involved in Drive-by Shooting Sentenced to Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A man involved in a drive-by shooting on Charleston’s West Side in February 2020 was sentenced to seven years in prison on a federal firearm charge. Ronald Edward Tinsley, 49, of Charleston, previously pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, on or about February 25, 2020, Tinsley was driving a vehicle on the west end of Charleston when officers with the Charleston Police Department attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. In response, Tinsley fled at a high rate of speed for several blocks until he crashed into a building in the 1200 block of 6th Street. As Tinsley exited the vehicle, he kicked a Makarov 9x18mm semi-automatic pistol underneath the vehicle. This firearm had previously been stolen, and Tinsley knew or had reason to know that it was stolen at the time he possessed it. Tinsley had been the driver of a vehicle during a drive-by shooting on the West Side of Charleston the night before and the firearm he possessed was used in the shooting. Through the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), law enforcement officers were able to confirm that spent shell cases recovered at the scene of the shooting matched the Makarov pistol that Tinsley possessed.
Tinsley has a long criminal history to include prior federal convictions related to controlled substance distribution, as well as prior convictions for burglary and malicious assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Tinsley’s burglary conviction was the result of him forcibly entering a residence and threatening the occupants with a firearm over an unpaid drug debt in 2012. He was released from his prison sentence on the burglary conviction on February 16, 2020, just nine days before he committed the offense involved in today’s sentencing.
“My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to remove the most violent offenders from our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “As the conviction and significant sentence in this case demonstrates, it is through excellent teamwork and the utilization of NIBIN technology that we will accomplish our goal. ATF and the Charleston Police Department are to be commended for bringing this repeat violent offender to justice.”
“ATF has no greater mission than keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division. “Together, with our partners at the Charleston Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office, we will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who disregard the safety of our communities to justice.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe handled the prosecution.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00133.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to statements made in court, Lawrence Lee Hart, 61, of Glen Daniel, contacted another user on a dating app on October 1, 2021. Hart was told that the girl was only 13 years old and located in Beckley. After learning the girl’s age and that she was a virgin, Hart offered to teach her about sex. Over the next month, Hart engaged in extensive text and phone conversations with the girl during which he instructed her on masturbation, oral sex, and sexual intercourse. He also asked her to send him a sexually explicit image of herself and sent sexually explicit photographs of himself. On November 5, 2021, Hart was arrested when he went to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity.
Hart faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in June 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk 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. 5:21-cr-00254.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty to producing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Brian Wayne Shaffer, 51, admitted that he used his cell phone to photograph the female genitalia of a prepubescent minor who he was living with in August 2021. Shaffer further admitted that he used his cell phone to upload the photo of the nude minor and sent it to another individual who Shaffer had been communicating with on YouTube. Shaffer admitted he uploaded the photograph using his Gmail address on or about August 24, 2021. At the time Shaffer produced child pornography of the prepubescent minor, he previously had been convicted of first degree sexual assault of another prepubescent female in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Shaffer faces a sentence of at least 25 years and up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 16, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the West Virginia State Police - Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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. 2:21-cr-00195.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Artie Ray Warwick, Jr., 53, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, Warwick admitted that on March 2, 2020 law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence in Beckley. During the search, officers found in excess of 300 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of heroin, cocaine, and an assortment of prescription pills. Warwick admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine in and around Raleigh County. The officers also recovered 104 marijuana plants which Warwick was growing inside his house. As part of the plea, defendant also admitted to being in possession of over 800 grams of methamphetamine on October 25, 2021, that he admitted he intended to distribute in and around Beckley, and to selling small quantities of marijuana.
Warwick pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine and faces not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 10, 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-00230.
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Alabama Man Sentenced for EscapeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Alabama man was sentenced today to one year in prison for escape to run consecutively to the federal sentence he is currently serving.
According to court documents, Jonathan Felts, 32, admitted he left Dismas Charities, Inc., a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry facility in St. Albans, without permission and did not return. Felts had been confined at Dismas because of a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshal Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. 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-00179.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Floyd Dermonta Ramsey, 42, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ramsey admitted to entering Parkersburg on August 31, 2021, in possession of approximately 98 pills containing fentanyl, 62.83 grams of cocaine, and approximately three pounds of marijuana. These substances were seized by a law enforcement officer in connection with a traffic stop. Ramsey admitted he intended to distribute these controlled substances to other people.
Ramsey faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 18, 2022.
Robert Sanders, Jr., still faces federal charges as a result of the nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming.” Ambera Roberts, Era Dawn Corder, Matthew Edward Depew, and Carlo Ramsey, all of Parkersburg, previously entered guilty pleas in this case and await sentencing. Also as a result of the investigation, more than a dozen individuals were arrested on state charges in Wood County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department, the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County (KY) Sheriff’s Department, the Russell (KY) Police Department and the Raceland (KY) Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00163.
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Former Logan County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Wiretapping ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Logan County resident pleaded guilty today to a federal wiretapping charge.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Randall Dwight Holden II, 33, admitted to secretly recording a video of a woman engaged in sexually explicit conduct in her Logan County home on November 25, 2017. The video was later uploaded to the internet without the victim’s knowledge. The video was one of several secretly recorded videos that Holden had created and posted online depicting the victim.
Holden is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2022 and he faces up to five years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald 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-00006.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Coal MineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility.
According to court documents, Earnest Wriston, 56, of Pax, pleaded guilty to damaging and stealing specialized equipment from a coal mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.
Wriston pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2022 and faces up to five years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00269.
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Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, during the summer of 2021, Angie Lane Harbour, 40, was a drug courier in a multi-state methamphetamine distribution organization operating in and around Charleston. Harbour acted as a driver for members of the organization both locally and during resupply trips out-of-state. On August 4, 2021, Harbour and two co-conspirators were returning from a resupply trip to Columbus, Ohio when they were stopped by police in Cross Lanes. Police seized approximately one pound of methamphetamine from the vehicle.
Harbour is one of seventeen defendants charged as a result of this investigation. James Edward Bennett and Denise Marie Cottrill are scheduled to plead guilty on February 22, 2022. Brian Dangelo Terry and Jason Robert Oxley are scheduled to plead guilty on March 14, 2022.
Harbour pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on May 16, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks 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 Nos. 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-171, and 2:21-cr-211.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Curtis Givens, 52, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents, Givens admitted selling fentanyl to a confidential informant on two separate occasions in November 2020. The drug transactions occurred at Givens’ residence in Charleston. During one of the controlled buys, Givens also sold the confidential informant two firearms.
Givens pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced on May 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00166.
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