Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Tennessee Man Admits Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mario Lavonta Ward, 46, of Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, Ward admitted that on June 8, 2021 he sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $200. The drug transaction occurred near Beckley. Ward also admitted that on this same date, officers executed a search warrant at the residence where the drug transaction had occurred. During the execution of the search warrant, officers found additional quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, a firearm and $6,500 in cash. The cash recovered included the $200 used by the confidential informant to purchase the fentanyl. As part of the plea, Ward agreed to forfeit the money and the firearm and also admitted that he knew was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to a prior felony conviction.
Ward pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 27, 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-00229.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Michael Bryant, 62, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents, Bryant admitted selling fentanyl to a confidential informant on three separate occasions in March 2021. The drug transactions occurred at his residence on Hunt Street in Beckley. During one of the controlled buys, Bryant also sold the confidential informant a loaded Francolin Arms, model Citadel Boss 25, 12 gauge shotgun. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bryant’s residence on October 21, 2021 and seized additional quantities of fentanyl, a loaded Sports Arms, Derringer 22 caliber pistol, and rounds of 9mm and 22 caliber ammunition. Bryant admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of his two prior felony convictions for unlawful assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Bryant pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 19, 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 Negar Kordestani 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-00199.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to a federal firearm charge.
According to statements made in court, on or about January 26, 2021, Shawn Mackenzie Tant, 43, was in possession of a Harrington and Richardson .38 caliber revolver. Tant was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in front of a retail establishment on the south side of Parkersburg when he had contact with officers from the Parkersburg Police Department. The firearm was located by officers on the dash of the vehicle near the windshield. Tant admitted that he knew he was not legally permitted to possess a firearm due to three prior felony convictions in Wood County Circuit Court for delivery of a controlled substance. Tant has a long criminal history to include three domestic battery convictions as well as convictions for domestic assault, battery, and battery of a police officer.
Tant pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 12, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. 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 No. 2:21-cr-00232.
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Wayne County Man Pleads Guilty to Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Walker, 29, of Ceredo, pleaded guilty today to distribution of heroin.
According to the plea agreement and statements made during the hearing, Walker admitted that on March 8, 2021, he met an informant in the driveway of his residence on D Street in Ceredo and sold the informant one ounce of heroin for $2,750.
Walker faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 23, 2022.
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 presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00115.
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Mexican National Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national man pleaded guilty today to the felony offense of reentry of a removed alien. Sergio Chavez-Nieto, 44, was found guilty by the Court and sentenced to a “time served” sentence, having spent almost three months in federal custody. Chavez-Nieto 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, Chavez-Nieto 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. Chavez-Nieto admitted being in the United States illegally and had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Chavez-Nieto was placed under arrest.
Fingerprinting matched Chavez-Nieto to five prior removals from the United States: three voluntary removals in 2000, one administrative removal in 2010 and another administrative removal in 2014. Chavez-Nieto has a 2003 state felony conviction for possession of cocaine in Winston Salem, North Carolina and also a 2014 federal misdemeanor conviction for illegal entry in Laredo, Texas. Chavez-Nieto never obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Chavez-Nieto further admitted to ICE agents that he was a Mexican citizen.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Parkersburg Police Department Street Crimes Unit and the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for 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-00247.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography crime.
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Nicholas Wilds, 38, admitted that he distributed child pornography using Kik, an online messaging application. Wilds also admitted that he used the messaging app to encourage another user to take sexually explicit photographs of a child. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Wilds’ residence and found over 300 images of child pornography.
Wilds pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
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. 3:22-cr-00005.
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Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national who was in the United States illegally was sentenced today to time served, or nine months and 298 days, in federal prison. David Ferrusquia-Sanchez, 38, previously pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 22, 2021, law enforcement officers pulled over a vehicle on I-64 in Putnam County that lacked registration and was following a tractor trailer too closely. The driver, identified as Ferrusquia-Sanchez, provided a passport and a driver’s license, both of Mexican origin. Officers also learned that Ferrusquia-Sanchez had an active warrant for driving under revocation. A canine unit arrived on scene and alerted to the vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded a loaded 9mm Sportarms pistol in a duffel bag behind the driver’s seat. Ferrusquia-Sanchez admitted that he had not been given any legal status in the United States.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Hurricane Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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-00061.
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Logan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on January 26, 2021, at the residence of Brian Dometric Knox, 37, in Cross Lanes. During the search, officers found approximately 79 grams of methamphetamine. Knox admitted that he possessed and intended to sell the methamphetamine. Knox also admitted that from December 1, 2020 to January 22, 2021, he sold approximately one ounce of methamphetamine every week.
Knox pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on May 11, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the West Virginia State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. 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-00170.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man caught last year with cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, pleaded guilty today.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Donald Duane Cole, 51, admitted that he was present when agents executed a search warrant at his residence on 9th Avenue in Huntington on July 29, 2021. Cole admitted to agents that he was in possession of crack cocaine and agents seized crack cocaine during the search. Cole admitted that he intended to sell the crack cocaine. Cole further admitted that he participated with others in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl in the Huntington area between April and July 2021.
Cole pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 16, 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.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams 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. 3:22-cr-00007.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dana Stevenson, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a shooting that occurred in Charleston. In connection with a separate incident, Stevenson also pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl in South Charleston.
According to statements made in court, Stevenson illegally possessed 9mm caliber ammunition on July 5, 2021. The ammunition was recovered at the scene of a shooting that occurred in broad daylight at Central and Glenwood Avenues on Charleston’s West Side. Stevenson is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to his 2018 federal convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia for the felony offenses of distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Approximately five weeks later on August 12, 2021, members of the South Charleston Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Stevenson and Stevenson fled at a high rate of speed. Stevenson was eventually apprehended and officers recovered approximately 38 grams of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle. The quantity of fentanyl and presence of certain paraphernalia established that Stevenson intended to distribute the drug.
Stevenson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 2, 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 Charleston Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Stephanie S. Taylor are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00161.
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Akron Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Multi-State Methamphetamine RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron man who participated in a multi-state methamphetamine conspiracy was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison. Dennis Deire Mosely, Jr., 35, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Mosley admitted that he participated in the conspiracy during the month of July 2019. Mosley admitted that he and another individual made arrangements to acquire methamphetamine in the Columbus, Ohio area. On July 24, 2019, Mosley and the other individual traveled from Akron to Columbus and acquired at least three pounds of methamphetamine. The other individual then delivered the methamphetamine to an individual in Sissonville the next day. Mosley admitted that he knew the methamphetamine would be distributed in the Southern District of West Virginia when he helped acquire it.
“Meth is a significant public safety threat in our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “That’s why my office and our law enforcement partners are collectively focused on shutting down meth trafficking organizations and holding meth traffickers accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force conducted the investigation. 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.
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. 3:19-cr-00246.
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Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
Department Strategy Supports National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland this week released the
Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for
Victims of Trafficking Act.Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat
Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Department's
National Strategy is expansive in scope. It aims to enhance the department's capacity to prevent
human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human
trafficking victims and survivors.“Human trafficking is an insidious crime,” said Attorney General Garland. “Traffickers
exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims
unimaginable harm. The Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking will
bring the full force of the Department to this fight.”“We have joined forces across the state to protect our citizens from human traffickers,” said
United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Investigators, prosecutors, victim advocates and
non-governmental service providers are working together through the West Virginia Human
Trafficking Task Force to raise awareness about human trafficking, investigate and prosecute human
trafficking cases and support survivors.”“We are taking a more proactive approach to combat human trafficking in West Virginia than ever
before through the use of technology and via partnerships with law enforcement,” said United States
Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This new strategy will allow us to help more victims and to prosecute more
offenders.”Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human
trafficking will:▪ Strengthen engagement, coordination and joint efforts to combat human trafficking
by prosecutors in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.
▪ Establish federally-funded, locally-led anti-human trafficking task forces that
support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.
▪ Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention,
resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
▪ Enhance initiatives to reduce vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska
Natives to violent crime, including human trafficking, and to locate missing children.
▪ Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human
trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important
information.
▪ Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors,
including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.
▪ Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance and
expertise.
▪ Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.The department’s strategy will be implemented under the direction of the National Human Trafficking
Coordinator designated by the Attorney General in accordance with the Abolish Human Trafficking Act
of 2017.If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact
the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.
To learn more about the West Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force, go to
www.stophumantraffickingwv.org.To read the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking click here.
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Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offense Involving MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Russell Loar, Jr., 40, of Washington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to traveling in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, on May 27, 2021, Loar traveled from Washington, Pennsylvania, to Clay County, West Virginia to have sex with a 14-year-old minor. Loar had been communicating with the minor via Snapchat for nearly a year, and his communications with her were sexual. The minor’s parents had learned about his communications, informed him of her age, but his communications continued. When Loar traveled to Clay County, he met with the minor and invited her into his truck. The minor’s mother happened to be driving by and intervened. After he was subsequently arrested, Loar admitted to sending a pornographic picture to the minor as well as telling her that he wanted to perform sex acts with her.
If the plea agreement is accepted by the Court, Loar will be sentenced to between 87 months to 108 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release when he is sentenced on May 4, 2022. He also will be required to register as a sex offender.
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’s West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00141.
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Two Huntington Men Appear in Federal Court in Connection to Roles in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two men who participated in a drug ring and distributed various drugs in Huntington appeared today in federal court. William Raeshaun Byrd, 31, of Huntington, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Christopher Leon Vest, 33, also of Huntington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Vest faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 16, 2022.
According to the plea agreements and statements made in court, Byrd and Vest both admitted that they participated in the conspiracy from the summer of 2020 to July 2021. During the conspiracy, Byrd frequently received shipments of fentanyl and cocaine which were transported from Columbus, Ohio to Huntington by vehicle. For each shipment, Byrd received a minimum of 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 1 kilogram of cocaine. The drugs were provided to Byrd on consignment and Byrd would pay for the drugs after he distributed them in Huntington. Byrd further admitted that he operated two residences in Huntington as locations to accept the shipments and distribute the drugs. Vest frequently obtained quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine to distribute to various customers in the Huntington area. Vest provided the drugs to customers on consignment and was aware his customers intended to redistribute the drugs. Vest also admitted that he operated two residences in Huntington as locations to receive deliveries and to distribute the drugs.
On July 29, 2021, Byrd and Vest were arrested after an indictment was returned charging multiple individuals in the investigation and search warrants were executed at both men’s residences on that date. Law enforcement officers seized a number of items including two firearms and over $113,000 in United States currency at Byrd’s residence. Byrd admitted that he possessed the firearms and that the money constituted proceeds from drug sales. Law enforcement officers seized a number of items including four firearms and over $86,000 in United States currency from Vest’s residence. Vest admitted that he possessed the firearms and that the money constituted proceeds from drug sales. Search warrants were also executed at the two residences operated by Vest. During those searches, law enforcement officers seized over a kilogram of cocaine, 800 grams of fentanyl, and 450 grams of methamphetamine that Vest intended to distribute and two additional firearms.
To date, seven defendants have been convicted as result of the investigation.
“Thanks to the excellent work of the FBI and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force, this drug ring was shut down,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Byrd and Vest, who were distributing significant amounts of deadly drugs, will no longer be endangering the public.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force conducted the investigation. 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 hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans are handling the prosecutions.
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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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to federal gun and drug crimes he committed while he was an inmate at the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville.
According to court documents, on June 14, 2021, Jacob Benjamin Loper, 20, an inmate at the Western Regional Jail, used recorded jail phone lines to speak with an individual outside of the jail. Loper instructed the individual to go to a residence at Marcum Terrace in Huntington to recover $1500 worth of suboxone that belonged to Loper and was believed to be in the possession of another person. Loper consented to the individual carrying a firearm to retrieve the suboxone. Loper’s associate was unable to retrieve the suboxone from the residence. As Loper’s associate and another individual at the scene were driving away from the residence, a shootout occurred between them and an occupant of the residence. Subsequent to the shooting, Loper communicated via phone with the person believed to be in possession of the suboxone and threatened that if he did not receive his drugs or get paid for them, that shootings would keep happening.
Loper pleaded guilty to attempted possession with intent to distribute suboxone and conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department and the West Virginia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Investigation Division.
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-00215.
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McDowell County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A McDowell County man pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Timothy Edwards, 25, of Yaeger, admitted that from April 2020 through February 2021 he engaged in sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl. During that time frame, he produced multiple videos of himself engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor. He also directed the minor to produce and send sexually explicit videos of herself to him. Edwards additionally caused the minor to engage in live video chats during which she would send video of herself masturbating.
Edwards faces at least 15 and up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 2, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00186.
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Culloden Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Travis Lee Hanshaw, 49, of Culloden, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, on June 15, 2018, Hanshaw sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. The transaction took place at Hanshaw’s residence in Culloden.
Hanshaw faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 9, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:19-cr-00198.
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Bluefield Man Admits Distributing Pound of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Eric Lee Flack, 43, of Bluefield, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents, Flack admitted that on July 28, 2020 he sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine for $5,600 to an undercover informant working with law enforcement. Flack also admitted to selling quantities of hydromorphone to the same undercover informant on two separate occasions in September and November 2020 receiving approximately $3,500 for each transaction. Each drug transaction occurred in Bluefield, West Virginia.
Flack pleaded guilty to distribution of more than 50 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine and faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 2, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is comprised of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Bluefield Police Department and the Princeton Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber 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. 1:21-cr-00255.
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Roane County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Foster Allen Ray, 72, of Gandeeville, was sentenced today to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 9, 2020, Ray shot a loaded Savage Model 99 300 caliber level action rifle from over 100 feet away at two people inside a truck trapped on his property to “scare them.” The bullet lodged inside the truck but avoided hitting the driver or front seat passenger. Ray is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions in Roane County Circuit Court for unlawful assault and child abuse by a custodian resulting in injury.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00024.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Edward Paul Potter, 42, of Bradley, pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Potter’s Bradley residence on December 1, 2020. During the search, law enforcement officers found over 50 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, $1,356 in U.S. currency, and 17 firearms. Potter admitted that he possessed and intended to sell the heroin and fentanyl mixture. Potter further admitted that he had been working with a drug trafficking ring operating from Detroit and he had been receiving regular shipments of heroin.
Potter pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and faces up to 20 years imprisonment when he is sentenced on May 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).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner 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-00167.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to EscapeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to escape from a federal halfway house.
According to court documents, Joshua Dowler, 39, admitted that he walked away from Dismas Charities on September 16, 2021. Dowler was confined to the halfway house as a result of a 2019 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The United States Marshals Service later apprehended Dowler in Parkersburg.
Dowler pleaded guilty to escape and faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on May 12, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00256.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Fayette County man pleaded guilty today to distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Andrew Daniel Sprinkle, 34, admitted that on two separate occasions in September 2020 he sold methamphetamine to an undercover informant working with law enforcement. Sprinkle also admitted that on September 21, 2020, he was in possession of a Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol when he sold the methamphetamine to the undercover informant. Sprinkle knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms due to prior felony convictions in the state of North Carolina.
Sprinkle faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 when he is sentenced on May 6, 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 Beckley Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-00149.
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Woman Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Stealing Millions in Federal Funds from Huntington Children's CharityRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Chesapeake, Ohio, woman was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for stealing federal funds from River Valley Child Development Services (“RVCDS”), a non-profit organization located in Huntington. RVCDS provides programs, services, and support to children and families in the region.
Ruth Marie Phillips, also known as Marie Phillips, 69, worked at RVCDS from December 1986 until September 2020 and held various positions at the non-profit organization. Phillips served as Director of Business and Finance and was responsible for all financial operations, including monitoring accounts receivable, creating and submitting invoices, reconciling bank accounts and issuing checks. From July 1, 2016, to on or about June 30, 2017, RVCDS received approximately $7,131,756 in federal funding and Phillips used her position of trust and authority to steal approximately $964,012 during that period.
Phillips further admitted that between December 2013 and August 2020, she stole approximately $4,721,731 from RVCDS. During that period, she sent $1,142,500 to her personal checking account and sent another $3,395,500 to Attitude Aviation’s bank account. Attitude Aviation has offices at Lawrence County Airpark in South Point, Ohio, and Tri-State Airport in Huntington and provides aeronautical services, including fueling, rental of hangar space, aircraft rental, flight instruction and maintenance.
In sentencing Phillips, the Court departed upward from the sentencing guidelines, noting that the guideline range failed to account for the substantial harm Phillips caused the non-profit in the community and the impact Phillips’ theft had on taxpayers.
To assist with restitution, Phillips has agreed to forfeit substantial assets, including $304,576.49 in proceeds from the sale of a lake house at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia that she bought during her scheme to defraud the non-profit, $169,954.58 in proceeds from the sale of a Randolph County property, $322,288.50 in proceeds from the sale of two airplanes, her Chesapeake, Ohio, residence, several vehicles including a Lexus RX and a Chevrolet Corvette, and four additional airplanes that are anticipated to sell soon. As of the date of sentencing, Phillips has forfeited approximately $868,561.44, which both parties anticipate applying to her ultimate restitution debt. The full amount of restitution will be determined at a hearing on April 4, 2022.
“Phillips stole millions of dollars meant for families and children in the Huntington area for her own personal use. It doesn’t get much worse than stealing from children,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I am thankful for the work of our law enforcement partners and my staff which resulted in a substantial sentence for Phillips and ensured that she will pay restitution to the nonprofit.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Lawrence County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office, and the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is handling the forfeiture of Phillips’ many assets.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00135.
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Two Huntington Men Plead Guilty for Roles in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington men who participated in a drug ring distributing various drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, pleaded guilty today in federal court. Edward Shane Midkiff, 34, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and Mark Anthony Chandler, 30, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the plea agreements and statements made in court, on January 12, 2021, Midkiff was contacted by a confidential informant to arrange a methamphetamine purchase. Midkiff directed the informant to come to the 500 block of 4th Avenue in Huntington to complete the transaction. At that location, Midkiff met with the informant in a vehicle where he sold the informant methamphetamine.
On June 30, 2021, Chandler received approximately one-half kilogram of cocaine from another individual in Huntington. Chandler was subsequently transporting the cocaine to another location when a Deputy with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop of Chandler’s vehicle. Chandler fled from the stop and was arrested on a later date. During the stop, the deputy seized the cocaine as well a 9mm pistol that Chandler left in the vehicle. Chandler admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine.
Midkiff and Chandler both face up to 20 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on May 9, 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 hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans are handling the prosecutions.
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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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jabar Markeith Sellers, 39, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on a residence on Norway Avenue as part of a shooting investigation on July 7, 2021. Officers observed a vehicle believed to have been involved in a shooting and subsequently performed a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver was identified as Jabar Markeith Sellers, and a firearm was found in plain view in the driver’s door panel. Sellers is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of a previous felony conviction in Ohio.
Sellers pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and he faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 2, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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-00120.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Toledo, Ohio man pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents, La Percy Allen, 42, admitted that on multiple occasions in July and August 2021, he sold a total of approximately 30 grams of fentanyl and 53 grams of heroin to an undercover informant working with law enforcement. Allen also admitted that on August 10, 2021, he was in possession of approximately 53 grams of fentanyl that he intended to sell and a loaded firearm. Allen is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2013 felony conviction in Ohio for trafficking heroin.
Allen pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 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), the Beckley Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk 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. 5:21-cr-00154 and 5:22-cr-00002.
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Greenbrier County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Andrew Allen Arnold, 34, of White Sulphur Springs, pleaded guilty today a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Arnold was involved in an altercation at a gas station in White Sulphur Springs on May 7, 2019. Law enforcement officers responded to the disturbance at the gas station and found Arnold shouting at and threatening a female who had barricaded herself in the gas station bathroom. Upon searching Arnold, law enforcement officers found a loaded Charter Arms “Pink Lady” .38 Special revolver in his front pants pocket. Arnold admitted that the serial number markings on the firearm had been obliterated and that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of a 2016 felony conviction in the Circuit Court of Allegheny, Virginia.
Arnold 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 13, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the White Sulphur Springs Police Department.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Jeffrey 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-00197.
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Cross Lanes Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Operating Fencing SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nedeltcho Vladimirov, 53, a native of Bulgaria, was sentenced today to eight years and one month in federal prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and money laundering. A federal jury convicted Vladimirov after a three-day trial in July 2021 of one count of conspiring to commit money laundering and three counts of money laundering.
Evidence at trial revealed that Vladimirov operated a fraudulent fencing operation - a scheme in which stolen goods were acquired in order to resell them for profit to an unsuspecting buyer. Vladimirov bought the items he resold at a small fraction of the retail cost from individuals addicted to heroin, known in the fencing scheme as “boosters.” Vladimirov met the “boosters” at a gas station in Cross Lanes where he bought new items such as high end vacuum cleaners, tools and other items that he later resold on his eBay account. The investigation revealed that Vladimirov sold over 7,000 items on his eBay account and had over $594,000 in sales over a three-year period. The “boosters” used the cash provided by Vladimirov for the stolen items to support their drug habits. A federal search warrant executed at Vladimirov’s residence by the United States Secret Service on February 10, 2020, revealed that he had set up cleaning stations used to remove security devices and labels from boxes so that the stolen items could not be traced.
“Shutting down this fencing operation and bringing Vladimirov to justice was a significant team effort,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I cannot overstate the value of the collaboration between our law enforcement partners and the Organized Retail Crime (ORC) investigators from the stores victimized in this fencing scheme. I applaud the entire team for their efforts to hold Vladimirov accountable and to protect both retailers and consumers from further harm.”
“The Secret Service is dedicated to protecting our nation’s financial institutions and corporations that operate within the Southern District of West Virginia,” said United States Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Robert Pyle. “I appreciate our law enforcement partners at the South Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, whose work helped secure this successful outcome. Our partnership with the Organized Retail Crime (ORC) investigators from Kroger, Target and CVS Pharmacy was instrumental in this case as well.”
“We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of West Virginia, federal, state and local law enforcement, other retailers, and our loss prevention specialist who helped bring Mr. Vladimirov to justice,” said Corporate Affairs Manager James McNees, Mid-Atlantic Division, The Kroger Company. “Partnerships like these are integral to the vitality of our operations and safety of our customers.”
The United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff's Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and the South Charleston Police Department, as well as the Organized Retail Crimes (ORC) investigators from Kroger, CVS Pharmacy and Target Corporation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman 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. 2:20-cr-00054.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Pound of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man, Trevor Davis, 29, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, on January 9, 2020, Davis met an informant in the parking lot of the Wendy’s restaurant on 16th Street in Huntington. Davis admitted to selling the informant one pound of methamphetamine for $4,000.
Davis faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 2, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the West Virginia State Police Drug and Violent Crime Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor 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-00177.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison to Five Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to five years in prison for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Shawn Le, 28, sold fentanyl, a .22 caliber revolver and 214 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on February 19, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew 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. 2:21-cr-00156.
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Charleston Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Denzil Weatherspoon, 29, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to a single-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Weatherspoon ran from officers with the Charleston Police Department on February 4, 2020. Upon detaining Weatherspoon, officers recovered a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his jacket pocket. Weatherspoon is prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of his prior felony convictions. Weatherspoon has a 2016 felony conviction for aggravated assault in the Circuit Court of Davidson County, Tennessee and a 2014 felony conviction for unlawful wounding in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia.
Weatherspoon faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 5, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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. 2:20-cr-00138.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Citizens and Local BankRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Jones, 52, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to two counts of aggravated identity theft, in relation to defrauding a local bank and two elderly residents in the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Jones admitted that an elderly female from Clendenin hired him to do mold remediation and other handyman services at a Clendenin property that belonged to another elderly woman of advanced age. Jones admitted that he obtained blank checks belonging to the elderly homeowner and forged the signature of the woman who hired him. He wrote himself checks in this manner multiple times, in amounts payable of $7,000 and $8,500. Jones then deposited these falsified checks at the Hurricane branch of a local bank, where he had a checking account. Jones admitted that neither woman was aware that he used their personal identifiers in his efforts to obtain money from the bank. As part of his plea agreement, Jones agreed that he owes the bank $25,000 in restitution as a result of his offense and relevant conduct.
“I appreciate the excellent work of the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office-Consumer Protection Division that secured this conviction,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson.
“Contractors who defraud consumers must be held accountable, and I’m proud of my office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State Police for doing just that,” Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said. “The state’s consumer protection laws require contractors to do professional work, and our office will vigorously pursue con artists who try to operate outside of the law.”
Jones faces four years in prison when he is sentenced on April 25, 2022. Jones also faces pending state charges in Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, and Putnam Counties in connection with additional fraud schemes.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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-00132.
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Kentucky Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Kentucky man was sentenced to prison today for his involvement in a fentanyl distribution ring operating in the Huntington area. Leonard Brandon Joe Rice, 35, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, on May 24, 2021, Rice used a telephone to arrange the purchase of fentanyl in Huntington. Rice then traveled from Louisa, Kentucky to Huntington where he received the fentanyl. When Rice returned to Louisa, he was stopped by a trooper with the Kentucky State Police who seized the fentanyl Rice purchased. Rice admitted that he received fentanyl in Huntington from the beginning of 2020 through July of 2021. During that period, Rice redistributed some of the fentanyl he purchased in Huntington to other individuals in the Louisa, Kentucky area.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109.
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Inmate Sentenced for Possessing Weapon at FCI BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. - An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Beckley was sentenced today for possessing a weapon at the correctional facility. Deontae Holmes, 25, was sentenced to one year in prison to run consecutively to the sentence he currently is serving.
According to court documents, FCI Beckley staff members found Holmes in possession of a shank on February 22, 2021. The shank was a piece of metal approximately six inches long that was sharpened to a point on one end and had a rubberized tape handle on the other end. The shank was found in Holmes’ pants pocket during a random pat search. Holmes admitted that the shank was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
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-00151.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents, Brian Vineyard, 49, sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $450 on September 9, 2020. In imposing the sentence, the Court also found that Vineyard sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on September 14, 2020 and September 16, 2020. Officers then executed a search warrant on Vineyard’s home on September 21, 2020, and found fentanyl in a safe in the home meant for distribution. In all, the Court found Vineyard responsible for 66.73 grams of fentanyl.
“West Virginia is in an overdose crisis. Overdose deaths are increasing in our state and most of them involve fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “We are working vigorously alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold fentanyl traffickers accountable for the harm they inflict upon West Virginia families. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Coleman, the FBI, MDENT and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent work in this case and for taking another fentanyl dealer off of our streets.”
This was Vineyard’s third federal felony drug trafficking conviction. As such, he was sentenced as a career offender.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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-00106.
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Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman pleaded guilty today to a federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Candice Nicole Long, also known as “Candace Long,” at her Beckley residence on February 25, 2020. Long possessed a .380 handgun in her waistband at the time she sold approximately 1.5 grams of methamphetamine. On February 28, 2020, officers executed a search warrant on her residence and recovered the firearm.
Long pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Long faces up to 20 years on the drug charge and a consecutive, mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for the firearm charge when she is sentenced on April 29, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner 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-00228.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Rodney Alexander Minter and John Eric Dickson pleaded guilty today for their roles in the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Rodney Alexander Minter, 62, of Logan, admitted that on five separate occasions in 2020 and 2021, he sold methamphetamine to an undercover informant. Minter also admitted that on August 9, 2021, he possessed with the intent to distribute 104 grams of methamphetamine and eight grams of fentanyl. Minter pleaded guilty to distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
John Eric Dickson, 58, of St. Albans, admitted that on January 5, 2021, he supplied Minter with methamphetamine to sell to an undercover informant. Dickson pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
Minter and Dickson are scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2022. Minter faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. Dickson faces up to 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-000169.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Codi Lee Douglas, 26, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his release from prison, Douglas will serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Douglas admitted to possessing an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle that law enforcement officers found in his vehicle during a traffic stop in Parkersburg on January 27, 2021. Douglas is not legally permitted to possess firearms due to a 2016 conviction in Wood County Circuit Court for malicious assault. The malicious assault conviction was the result of Douglas shooting another man in the face during a drug transaction in September 2015. Douglas also has a prior conviction for battery.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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-00113.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Offense Against a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Christopher Lee Foster, 36, of Oak Hill, previously pleaded guilty to the charge in September 2021.
According to the plea agreement, Foster admitted that in early March 2021 he initiated contact with a person via a messaging application. Believing this person to be a 13-year-old girl from New Jersey, Foster engaged in conversations over the next 2 months wherein he told the minor he wanted to meet her to engage in sexual activity. After learning that the girl was sexually inexperienced, Foster sent her pictures of his penis as well as numerous images and videos of pornography to teach her about sex. Foster also repeatedly pressured the minor to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself, even offering to pay her for such images. Foster further admitted that in approximately 2015 and 2016 he produced (or caused the production of) sexually explicit images of a different minor.
Following his release from prison, Foster will be required to serve a 20-year term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00095.
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Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Nigerian national who was indicted in April 2021 in connection with a large fraud and money laundering scheme pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in connection with the plea hearing, Kenneth Emeni, 29, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Martinsburg, was involved from at least August 2017 to October 8, 2020, with Kenneth Ogudu, also known as Kenneth Lee, John Nassy, Romello Thorpe, Oluwagbenga Harrison, Ouluwabamishe Awolesi, and others in a money laundering conspiracy that took place in Huntington and elsewhere. Emeni lived in Huntington from August 2017 to December 2019. As part of the scheme, Emeni’s co-conspirators created online false personas and contacted victims via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites in order to induce the victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship or business relationship with various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.
Emeni’s role in the conspiracy was to let victims transfer money to his bank account that he knew was from unlawful activity. Emeni admitted that after the victims’ funds were deposited into his account, he kept some of the money for himself and forwarded some of the money to his co-conspirators via wire transfers or Zelle. Emeni received approximately $42,050 from his co-conspirators’ transfers and transferred approximately $46,197 to his co-conspirators during the money laundering conspiracy. Emeni further admitted that he and his co-conspirators transferred large sums of their fraud proceeds to offshore accounts. From 2018 until 2020, Emeni transferred over $358,846 to accounts in Nigeria and Ghana.
Emeni faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 11, 2022. As part of his plea agreement, Emeni agreed to pay $904,126.96 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States 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/.
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-0068 (Emeni, et al).
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Nigerian Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- A Huntington woman pleaded guilty today in connection with her role as a money mule in a Nigerian fraud scheme that scammed money from individuals, many of whom were elderly.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearing, Patricia Dudding, 69, acted as a money mule for a Nigerian scammer. In May 2018, Dudding met “Lucas” online and although they never actually met in person, Dudding and Lucas communicated frequently by email and text messages. Dudding set up numerous bank accounts in her name at several different banks that she would use to wire and receive fraudulent funds. Dudding received numerous deposits in those bank accounts from individuals located in the United States and abroad. She, and unnamed co-conspirators, would then transfer these funds to bank accounts located in Nigeria. To further the scheme, Dudding admittedly would make false and fraudulent representations to the financial institutions to make it appear that the wire transfers were being sent for legitimate purposes. On April 26, 2019, Dudding sent a wire transfer of $39,000 from her account to an individual in Montana. Upon questioning by a bank employee, Dudding lied about the wire transfer to aid Lucas in completing the transfer of funds to the designated recipient in Montana.
Over the course of the scheme, Dudding withdrew victim funds for her personal benefit. Dudding used the funds to pay her utility bills, satellite television service, groceries, drug store purchases, gasoline purchases, department store purchases, restaurants and took numerous cash withdrawals.
Dudding pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an unlawful monetary transaction and faces up to 10 years in prison when she is sentenced on April 25, 2022. As part of her plea agreement, Dudding has agreed to pay $1,788,589.24 in restitution.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) – Office of Inspector General and the South Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting the case.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.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. 3:22-cr-00001.
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Fentanyl Traffickers Appear in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two fentanyl traffickers appeared before U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers in Huntington this week, announced United States Attorney Will Thompson.
According to court documents, James Lennon Pace, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced to a total of 13 years and eight months in federal prison. On March 16, 2021, Huntington Police Officers executed a search warrant at Pace’s residence on Charleston Avenue in Huntington. Pace was present just prior to the search and arrested on an unrelated warrant. During the search, officers seized a number of items including fentanyl, three firearms, and items used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Pace admitted that he possessed the firearms and that he intended to distribute the fentanyl. Pace was on supervised release for a prior drug conviction at the time of the offense. In August 2021, Pace pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation.
In a separate case, Martez D. Foy, 28, of Detroit, Michigan pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Foy admitted that on March 10, 2021, he sold approximately five grams of fentanyl to an undercover informant. Foy also admitted that he sold an additional five grams of fentanyl to an undercover informant on April 13, 2021. Foy faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 11, 2022. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:21-cr-00104/3:16-cr-00065(Pace) and 3:21-cr-00222(Foy).
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Augustus Darryl Jones, Jr., 30, arranged to distribute methamphetamine to a confidential informant on November 10, 2021 in Huntington. When Jones was in route to conduct the drug transaction, a West Virginia State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle and seized 460 grams of methamphetamine. Jones admitted he possessed and intended to distribute the methamphetamine to the informant.
Jones pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 25, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:21-cr-00242.
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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Virginia man pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Nicholas Aaron Icenhour, 25, of Tazewell, Virginia admitted that in October and November 2020 he directed his then girlfriend, Lacosta Steele, to have a 12-year-old girl engage in sexually explicit conduct, including masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of her genitals, for the purpose of creating videos of this conduct. Icenhour admitted that Steele then sent those videos to him. Icenhour also admitted that during this same time frame he had Steele transport the same 12-year-old girl to R.D. Bailey Lake, where he engaged in sexual intercourse with the child.
Icenhour faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 4, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00187.
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Princeton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Charles Boyett Mitchell, Jr., 35, of Princeton, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Mitchell sold a quantity of cocaine to a confidential informant in Princeton on May 7, 2018. As part of the plea, Mitchell also admitted to distributing cocaine and methamphetamine on three other occasions, and to possessing a quantity of methamphetamine that he intended to distribute. Law enforcement officers also recovered a small amount of U.S. currency and a firearm during the investigation.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is composed of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Bluefield Police Department and the Princeton Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess 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. 1:21-cr-00089.
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Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kevan Curry, 49, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Curry previously admitted that on November 18, 2020, officers with the Huntington Police Department executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence on 20th Street in Huntington. Officers seized a Comanche III .357 magnum revolver, a Browning .40 caliber handgun, and an American Tactical AR-15 rifle. Curry is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of a 2009 felony conviction in Cabell County.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00114.
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"Long Time Coming" Update: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with His Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Carlo Ramsey, 56, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ramsey admitted to assisting Ambera Roberts and Era Dawn Corder in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Parkersburg area by supplying them with methamphetamine on several occasions between June and September 2021. Ramsey further admitted that he knew both Roberts and Corder were engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine during this period of time.
Ramsey faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 14, 2022.
Robert Sanders, Jr., and Floyd Dermonta Ramsey are still facing federal charges as a result of the nearly year-long investigation dubbed “Long Time Coming,” which also resulted in more than a dozen arrests on state criminal complaints in Wood County. Ambera Roberts, Era Dawn Corder, and Matthew Edward Depew, all of Parkersburg, previously entered guilty pleas in this case and await sentencing.
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 Office, the Boyd County (KY) Sheriff’s Office, 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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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Joe Butler, 32, aided and abetted Rance McNeil in the distribution of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on April 8, 2021 in Charleston.
Butler pleaded guilty to distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 11, 2022. McNeil pleaded guilty in November 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2022.
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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00258.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting over $300,000 of Stolen MoniesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to transporting over $300,000 of stolen monies from West Virginia to Maryland.
According to court documents, Dhanraj Singh, 61, of Bowie, Maryland, worked at a local resort for many years. Singh admitted that from 2017 to 2020, he stole approximately $382,449 from the resort and routinely transported the stolen monies from West Virginia to Maryland.
Singh pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen property and faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 8, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen E. 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 5:21-cr-00240.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2021, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Curtis Harris, 34, at his residence in Beckley. Harris sold approximately 2.5 grams of fentanyl and a Cobra .380 handgun to the informant in the same transaction for $550. On March 11, 2021, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to conduct a second controlled purchase of fentanyl from Harris. Harris sold approximately 14 grams of fentanyl to the informant for $1400.
Harris pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on April 8, 2022.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner 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-00148.
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