Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Theft of Mine EquipmentRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man, Stuart Dotson, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Stuart Dotson, 56, of Mount Hope, worked with others to steal many pieces of specialized mining equipment from a local mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.
“My office takes the prosecution of mine theft cases very seriously,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “These crimes are devastating to both the victim companies and their employees. I applaud the investigation conducted by the FBI and the West Virginia State Police, and particularly commend First Lieutenant Anthony Perdue of the West Virginia State Police for his tireless work.”
Dotson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on February 2, 2022.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson 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-00182.
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Dunbar Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Dunbar man was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison for a federal gun crime. David Wayne Watson, 37, previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to a call for shots fired near the Go-Mart in North Charleston in November 2019. Watson was outside an apartment building nearby. Officers made contact with him, and Watson agreed to let the officers inside the building to check the welfare of the residents. While walking up the stairs, an officer observed a firearm in Watson’s pocket. Watson admitted that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery and fleeing from police causing injury.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White 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-00141.
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Lincoln County Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Lincoln County man was sentenced today to 15 years and eight months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, the South Charleston Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Bert Tackett, 56, of Alkol, was a passenger on February 8, 2021. Tackett possessed approximately 117 grams of a mixture/substance containing fentanyl and approximately 41.989 grams of methamphetamine and admitted that he intended to distribute the controlled substances. Law enforcement officers also recovered a Bersa Thunder 9mm handgun from inside the vehicle. When officers arrested Tackett at his Alkol residence on June 15, 2021, they found two bags of fentanyl weighing approximately 31.123 grams and 1.244 grams, a bag of methamphetamine weighing approximately 27.238 grams, and two loaded firearms inside his residence.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the South Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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-00097.
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Akron Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-State Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron, Ohio man who helped lead a multi-state drug conspiracy entered a guilty plea today in federal court. George Devonte Langford, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Langford admitted that he participated in the conspiracy between April and September 2019. Langford admitted that he frequently acquired methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Akron area which he and others transported to the Southern District of West Virginia. Langford then distributed the drugs to various customers in multiple locations including Scott Depot, Charleston and Sissonville. Langford also admitted that customers traveled to locations in Ohio on multiple occasions, including Akron and Canton, where he met with them to provide them with methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Langford was aware that these customers traveled from, and intended to return to, West Virginia with the drugs where they would be re-distributed.
Langford faces 10 years to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on February 7, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the joint investigation spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other agencies that 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie S. Taylor are handling the prosecution.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-000246.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Roles in Multi-State Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two men who participated in a multi-state methamphetamine conspiracy entered guilty pleas in federal court. Dennis Deire Mosley, Jr., 35, of Akron, Ohio, and Frederick Clyde Waite, 49, of Sissonville, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, 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 Waite 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.
Waite admitted that he participated in the conspiracy between July of 2019 and September of 2019. In addition to receiving three pounds methamphetamine on July 25, 2019, Waite admitted that he also attempted to acquire additional methamphetamine in the Akron area. After Waite negotiated the purchase of methamphetamine over the telephone, another individual traveled to Ohio to receive the drugs. The individual was stopped during the return trip to West Virginia and troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol seized over 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine from the vehicle.
Waite and Mosley each face a minimum mandatory of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when they are sentenced on January 31 and February 7, 2022, respectively.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other agencies that 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 presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-00024.
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Felon Pleads Guilty to EscapeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Alabama man pleaded guilty today to an escape charge.
According to court documents, Jonathan Felts, 32, admitted he left Dismas Charities, Inc., a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry facility, without permission and did not return. He had been confined at Dismas because of a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Felts faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on February 17, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshal Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. 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-00179.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime. Edward Sample, 37, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Washington Avenue in Huntington on April 7, 2021. Sample, along with other individuals, was located inside the house. Agents seized a loaded Taurus 9mm firearm, a dealer amount of heroin and fentanyl, and over $1,600 in cash during the search. Sample confessed to possessing the firearm to protect his money and drugs. Sample also admitted to using the same Taurus 9mm firearm two days earlier to shoot at a house in the Cross Lanes area in order to collect a $50 drug debt. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department investigated that incident.
Sample faces a minimum sentence of 25 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on January 31, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey 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-00058.
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Inmate Sentenced for Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. - An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at McDowell was sentenced today for possessing a weapon at the correctional facility. Jorge Amador, 47, was sentenced to one year in prison to run consecutively to the sentence he currently is serving.
According to court documents, Amador possessed a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” on August 13, 2020. During a search of Amador, a staff member from FCI McDowell found the shank, which was a piece of metal approximately 7 ½ inches in length, sharpened to a point at one end, with thread tied around the other end to form a handle. Amador admitted to staff members that he did possess the handcrafted weapon. Amador also admitted that the shank was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
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-00082.
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Elkview Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joey Michael King, 41, of Elkview, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor. King was also ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment pursuant to the 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
According to court documents and statements made in court, King previously admitted that in February 2019, he communicated via a social messaging application with a minor he believed to be a 15-year-old girl located in Bridgeport. In reality, the minor was a law enforcement officer with the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force who was operating online in an undercover capacity. Despite knowing the purported minor’s age, King repeatedly requested the girl to take sexually explicit photographs and to send him the photographs via text and email. King provided the girl with his personal cell phone number and his personal email, both of which matched the phone number and email that King provided to the West Virginia Sex Offender Registry in his January 2019 Sex Offender Registration Report.
King was also sentenced to lifetime on supervised release following his release from prison and is required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Nitro Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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. 2:19-cr-00301.
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Berkeley County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Berkeley County man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a child exploitation offense. James Braddock Biggerman, 21, of Hedgesville, previously pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Biggerman admitted that in June and July 2020, he communicated with a 13-year-old female located in Bluefield, West Virginia, via Snapchat and text messages. During those conversations, he asked the minor female to engage in sexual activity with him and send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself. Biggerman also offered to pay the minor female $100 to engage in sexual activity. Biggerman admitted to having similar conversations during the same time frame with another 13-year-old female located in Charleston. Biggerman admitted that on July 18, 2020, he traveled from Hedgesville to Bluefield in order to meet the first minor to engage in sexual activity. He then planned to transport that minor to Charleston in order to have sex with both minors and video record the sexual activity. Biggerman was arrested on July 18, 2020, when he arrived at the location where he had arranged to meet the minor in Bluefield.
Following his release from prison, Biggerman will serve a 30-year term of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigation conducted by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
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. 1:21-cr-00037.
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Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kevin Barnhouse, 41, of Summersville, pleaded guilty to a federal gun crime.
According to statements made in court, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department executed lawful search of a vehicle in which Barnhouse was riding as a passenger in November 2020. The officer located two firearms in the vehicle, a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 40 caliber handgun and an American Tactical 22 caliber rifle. Barnhouse admitted that he possessed the firearms and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of a 2016 conviction in Nicholas County Magistrate Court for domestic assault on a family or household member.
Barnhouse pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced on January 27, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Tessman is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00201.
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Clay County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding FEMARead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rebecca F. Bragg, 37, was sentenced to one month in federal prison for fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits. Bragg will also serve a three year term of supervised release, seven months of which will be served on home confinement. She also paid $4,900 in restitution to FEMA.
According to court documents, in June 2016, at the time of a major flood, Bragg resided in a home in Procious, Clay County, that was owned by her husband’s parents. On June 26, 2016, Bragg applied to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for both personal and rental assistance for the Procious residence. As a result of her application for rental assistance, Bragg received $2,472 from FEMA. Initially FEMA deemed Bragg ineligible for home repair assistance because she had not proven she owned the home at the time of the flood. On July 20, 2016, through her previous employer, Bragg applied for and obtained home insurance for the Procious residence, wherein she falsely claimed she was the home owner. On August 9, 2016, from her previous employer’s office in Spencer, Roane County, Bragg faxed to FEMA the home insurance policy that listed her as the property owner. As a result of Bragg’s false statements and misrepresentations, she received $4,900.85 in home repair benefits from FEMA.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson handled the prosecution.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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-00103.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty to a federal gun crime.
According to statements made in court, Emmanuel Lamont Covington, 30, pawned a stolen derringer pistol at a local pawn shop. Covington admitted to possessing the firearm and pawning it to pay bills, and also admitted to knowing that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of having a prior felony conviction. Covington was convicted of a felony drug conspiracy in 2016.
Morris pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on February 17, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is handling the prosecution.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00128.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Greg Anthony Waters, Jr., 27, sold approximately 3.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on January 9, 2020. Waters admitted to meeting the informant in Beckley to sell the drugs. Waters also admitted to selling cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl on several other occasions between January 9, 2020 and September 18, 2020. Multiple firearms were seized by law enforcement during a search of Waters’ apartment on September 30, 2020. Waters admitted that he was prohibited from possessing the firearms due to a prior felony conviction in Illinois.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which is comprised of officers from the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the Beckley Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
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-00012.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Reese Inman, 39, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on October 16, 2019 at a residence on Dempsie Avenue in Parkersburg. Inman was located in the living room and a loaded .22 Rohm revolver and a quantity of heroin were nearby. Law enforcement officers also located between 14 and 15 grams of heroin, a Chiappa .22 revolver and ammunition, an iPad that was payment for heroin Inman had sold, a black digital scale, $384 in U.S. currency and some marijuana. Inman admitted that he had been selling heroin in Wood County and that he intended to distribute the heroin in his possession to others.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the Wood County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner 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-00090.
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Ohio Man Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint in Connection with Suspected Explosive Devices Found on Tug BoatsRead the Press Release
Defendant charged with possession of unregistered destructive devices
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 42, of Marietta, Ohio, was charged today in a federal criminal complaint with possession of one or more unregistered destructive devices. Becker was arrested by law enforcement authorities yesterday in Marietta.
According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers recovered suspected destructive devices from two different tugboats on the Ohio River on October 21 and October 25, 2021. The criminal complaint alleges that Becker purchased pipes and other relevant components of the suspected destructive devices from a Lowe’s store in Marietta on four separate occasions.
“The cooperation of Lowe’s was instrumental in Becker’s arrest and I thank them for their assistance,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the many law enforcement agencies for their swift investigation leading to Becker’s arrest.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is conducting the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington County, Ohio, Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is handling the prosecution.
Note: The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-mj-00206.
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Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ralph Floyd Barnett, Jr., 61, of Birch River, possessed a .22 caliber handgun on August 17, 2019, and used the firearm to shoot multiple times at another man. Barnett admitted that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior federal conviction for aiding and abetting in maintaining a drug-involved premises. Deputies with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department initially responded to Barnett’s residence in Birch River after he made a series of 911 calls in which he threatened to shoot somebody and threatened to assault certain Deputies in the Sheriff’s Department.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nowles Heinrich prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00066.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON – Memphis Ross, 20, of Charleston, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for possession of a fully automatic machine gun that was not registered to him. Ross is one of the 15 individuals charged as part of the long-term investigation dubbed the “Woo Boyz.”
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on July 26, 2020 at the Charleston home of Ross’ mother and located an IMI Uzi 9mm submachine gun. Ross admitted bringing the fully automatic firearm into his mother’s home and that the firearm was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Officers also found three other firearms, ammunition and some marijuana during the search.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.
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Huntington Woman Sentenced on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Christa Dawn Ravenscroft, 45, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on March 8, 2019, at a residence on Baer Street in Huntington after receiving multiple reports of drug activity at that location. A search of the residence found approximately 1.55g of methamphetamine along with multiple ledgers and a digital scale. Ravenscroft admitted that she sold drugs to support her own habit.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-00181.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today in connection with his participation in a large fentanyl and cocaine distribution ring operating in the Huntington area. William Raeshaun Byrd, 31, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Byrd admitted that he participated in the conspiracy from the Summer of 2020 to July of 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.
Byrd was arrested on July 29, 2021, after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging multiple individuals in the investigation. A search warrant was also executed at Byrd’s residence on that date and law enforcement officers seized a number of items including two firearms and over $113,000 in United States currency. Byrd admitted that he possessed the firearms and that the money constituted proceeds from drug sales.
Byrd faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 31, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force, which consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department. The West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West provide investigative support to the task force. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-00109.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for a federal drug crime. Bandon William Jones, 42, previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin.
According to court documents, a confidential informant working with law enforcement purchased approximately 10.8 grams of heroin from Jones for $1,000.00 on October 29, 2020. The drug transaction took place on 16th Street Road in Huntington. Officers then followed Jones to the 1500 block of Hal Greer Boulevard where they arrested him. Officers found additional suspected heroin and the $1,000 used in the controlled heroin purchase. Jones also admitted that he was responsible for selling at least 20 kilograms of heroin in the Huntington area.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey 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-00029.
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Upshur County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Offense Against A MinorRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – An Upshur County man was sentenced today to 168 months in federal prison for a sex crime against a minor.
George Albert Romer, Jr., 63, of Buckhannon, was convicted of attempted sex trafficking of a minor following a jury trial in June 2021. The evidence at trial revealed that on October 31, 2019, Romer began communicating via a dating application with a person he understood to a 15-year-old girl in Lewisburg, West Virginia. During the messages, Romer offered to pay the girl $100 to engage in sexual intercourse. On November 1, 2019, Romer drove from Buckhannon to Lewisburg and rented a hotel room in order to meet the minor. He was placed under arrest shortly thereafter.
Following his release from prison, Romer will be placed on supervised release for 15 years and will be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Courtney Cremeans handled the prosecution.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:19-cr-00293.
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Hinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – David Alan Hunt, 30, of Hinton, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography. At the time Hunt possessed the child pornography, he was on supervised release for a 2014 federal child pornography conviction. Hunt was sentenced to an additional two years in prison, to run consecutively to the 10-year sentence, for violating his supervised release.
According to court documents, Hunt possessed child pornography of prepubescent minors on an iPad at his Hinton residence on January 22, 2021. Hunt’s supervising United States Probation Officer recovered the iPad containing the child pornography during a home visit.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Probation Office.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin F. Scott and Jennifer Rada Herrald 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-00075.
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U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Encourages West Virginians to Participate in DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Over 80 Collection Sites Located Throughout West Virginia
Available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 23rd
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson encourages West Virginians to rid their homes of unneeded medications during DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The national event offers free and anonymous disposal of unused and unwanted medications that are susceptible to diversion.
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.
For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,000 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.
“The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic—drug overdoses are up thirty percent over the last year alone and taking more than 250 lives every day,” stated DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The majority of opioid addictions in America start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. What’s worse, criminal drug networks are exploiting the opioid crisis by making and falsely marketing deadly, fake pills as legitimate prescriptions, which are now flooding U.S. communities. One thing is clear: prevention starts at home. I urge Americans to do their part to prevent prescription pill misuse: simply take your unneeded medications to a local collection site. It’s simple, free, anonymous, and it can save a life.”
“A record number of West Virginians tragically lost their lives to drug overdose last year,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I urge all West Virginians within the Southern District to clean out their medicine cabinets and drop off unnecessary, unused or expired medications at a nearby collection site this Saturday. Those participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be helping to prevent prescription medications from being diverted and abused. I thank DEA for organizing this life-saving biannual event.”
“With more Americans dying from drug overdoses than ever before, DEA’s Drug Take-Back Day is one way that folks can help make their communities safer, simply by disposing of their unneeded or expired medications,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Scott, who heads the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division. “We’re providing a safe and convenient way to help keep potentially harmful medications out of the wrong hands.”
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is more important than ever before. Last month, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert and launched the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to warn Americans of a surge in deadly, fake prescription pills driven by drug traffickers seeking to exploit the U.S. opioid epidemic and prescription pill misuse. Criminal drug networks are shipping chemicals from China to Mexico where they are converted to dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine and then pressed into pills. The end result—deadly, fake prescription pills—are what these criminal drug networks make and market to prey on Americans for profit. These fake, deadly pills are widely available and deadlier than ever. Fake pills are designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Adderall®, Xanax® and other medicines. Criminal drug networks are selling these pills through social media, e-commerce, the dark web and existing distribution networks.
Along with the alert came a warning that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
On Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.
A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Edward Byers II, 44, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for prohibited possession of firearms by a felon. Byers was one of 15 individuals charged federally as a result of a long-term investigation, dubbed the “Woo Boyz.”
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on February 10, 2021, at Byers’ Charleston residence and located five firearms. Byers is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2016 felony conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for conspiracy to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver methamphetamine.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). The U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police provided assistance during the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00047.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Ray Sindledecker, 40, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for prohibited possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sindledecker previously pleaded guilty to those two felony offenses on July 28, 2021.
According to court documents and statements made in court, officers with the Parkersburg Police Department arrested Sindledecker on January 17, 2020 due to outstanding warrants. When officers approached Sindledecker at a Go-Mart store near the intersection of 16th Street and St. Mary’s Avenue, he ran around the store into an alley. As Sindledecker was running, he attempted to pull a pistol with an obliterated serial number from his waist area. Upon doing so, Sindledecker lost his balance and fell to the ground. Officers apprehended Sindledecker and located the pistol nearby. Officers also located a quantity of methamphetamine, digital scales and a small amount of cash on Sindledecker. Sindledecker knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to prior felony convictions for unlawful entry and manufacture of a controlled substance in Wood County Circuit Court. Sindledecker admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
Including the two convictions from this case, Sindledecker now has 25 adult criminal convictions including seven felony convictions and 18 misdemeanor convictions. Included in Sindledecker’s criminal history are convictions for battery, domestic battery, domestic assault, and two felony convictions for manufacture of a controlled substance.
The United States sought a strong sentence of imprisonment in this case due to Sindledecker’s criminal history as well as his decision to pull a pistol out of his waistband while fleeing from law enforcement officers just prior to his arrest.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
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-00050.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dennis Hutton, 35, admitted to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on June 28, 2019, at a hotel room at the Quality Inn in Mineral Wells, Wood County. During the search, officers found Hutton, digital scales, quantities of suspected methamphetamine and heroin and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. Hutton admitted to the officers he was selling the drugs to others because of the financial obligations he had. The drugs were sent to the DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory and were confirmed to be methamphetamine and carfentanil. Hutton admitted that he carried the gun to protect both his drugs and the proceeds of his drug dealing.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00143.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- James Arnold Scott, 45, of Hansford, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for aiding and abetting the distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. Scott was also sentenced to four years of supervised release.
According to his own statements and court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration utilized confidential sources to conduct several controlled buys of methamphetamine involving Scott from 2019-2020. With respect to the charged offense which involved a controlled buy, on January 17, 2020, Scott aided and abetted one of his drug sources of supply in the distribution of four ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $1,150. The drug transaction took place in Huntington. Scott further admitted that when law enforcement later executed a search warrant at his Hansford residence, they seized cash, marijuana, methamphetamine, four firearms, one of which was stolen, and a ballistic vest.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Negar Kordestani handled the prosecution.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
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-00078.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Frederick Coleman, 32, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence in Huntington on February 13, 2020. Inside one of the bedrooms, officers recovered approximately 2.31 grams of heroin and approximately 20.99 grams of cocaine. Coleman admitted that he possessed the heroin and intended to distribute it.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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. 3:20-cr-00171.
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Charleston Felon Involved in Drive-by Shooting Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A man involved in a drive-by shooting on Charleston’s West Side in February 2020 pleaded guilty today to a federal firearm charge. Ronald Edward Tinsley, 49, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, on or about February 25, 2020, Tinsley was driving a vehicle on the west end of Charleston when officers with the Charleston Police Department attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. In response, Tinsley fled at a high rate of speed for several blocks until he crashed into a building in the 1200 block of 6th Street. As Tinsley exited the vehicle, he kicked a Makarov 9x18mm semi-automatic pistol underneath the vehicle. This firearm had previously been stolen, and Tinsley knew or had reason to know that it was stolen at the time he possessed it. Tinsley also admitted that he had been the driver of a vehicle during a drive-by shooting on the West Side of Charleston the night before and that the firearm he possession was used in the shooting by a passenger in the vehicle. Through the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), law enforcement officers were able to confirm that spent shell casings recovered at the scene of the shooting matched the Makarov pistol that Tinsley possessed.
Tinsley has a long criminal history to include prior federal convictions related to controlled substance distribution, as well as prior convictions for burglary and malicious assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
“In partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement, we are utilizing every asset at our disposal to remove violent repeat offenders from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson. “ATF’s NIBIN technology is an important tool in law enforcement’s toolbox and this case demonstrates the value of the ballistics evidence it provides in violent crime investigations. I commend the outstanding investigative work done by the ATF and the Charleston Police Department.”
“ATF’s NIBIN technology linked a violent felon to a drive-by shooting in Charleston,” stated Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of ATF’s Louisville Field Division. “This technology, being used by law enforcement in West Virginia and across the United States, provides critical links between violent street crimes and assists in obtaining serious federal charges. Working with law enforcement partners like the Charleston Police Department, ATF Task Forces protect the public and make West Virginia communities much safer.”
Tinsley faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 13, 2022.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00133.
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Cabell County Man Sentenced to Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Midkiff, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for escape from a halfway house.
According to his own statements and court documents, Midkiff admitted that in October 2020, he left Dismas Charities, Inc., a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry facility located in St. Albans, West Virginia, without permission and did not return while he was still serving an undischarged term of federal imprisonment. He had been on escape status for approximately eight months before he was apprehended by local law enforcement in connection with unrelated charges in June 2021. Midkiff has underlying federal convictions for felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of fentanyl.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani handled the prosecution.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
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-00083.
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Logan County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for receiving child pornography.
According to court documents, Marvin Wayne Akers, 40, admitted that on December 21, 2016, he used his Facebook account to communicate with a person living in the Philippines and asked to see “her.” In response, Akers received two images and a video that he knew were child pornography or images depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Upon release from prison, Akers will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 10 years and will be required to register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00174.
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Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today in federal court regarding his involvement in a fentanyl distribution ring operating in the Huntington area. Leonard Brandon Joe Rice, 35, pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Rice admitted that on May 24, 2021, he 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. The trooper subsequently seized the fentanyl Rice purchased. Rice also 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.
Rice faces up to four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 18, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States 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. 3:21-cr-00109.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to statements made in court, Terrence Ramsey, 36, admitted that on November 7, 2020, officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to a 911 call regarding a passed out driver located in a stopped car and found Ramsey passed out inside a gold Toyota Camry on the West Side of Charleston. Ramsey was asked to exit the car and during the course of the pat down, Ramsey removed a Ziplock bag containing approximately 47 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture from his hoodie pocket. Ramsey further admitted that when he was arrested on February 9, 2021 in connection with a federal warrant, officers seized approximately 26 grams fentanyl from the room in the home he was residing.
Ramsey faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on February 3, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. 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-00027.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Maylik Watson, 27, sold approximately 174.9 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $5,600 on July 6, 2020 in Charleston.
Watson pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on January 6, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). The U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police also assisted in the investigation.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.
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Boone County Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Boone County woman was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Sherri Hill, 58, purchased approximately four ounces of methamphetamine from a confidential informant on June 25,2020 at the Park and Ride on U.S. 119 in Boone County. After leaving the Park and Ride, law enforcement officers stopped Hill’s vehicle and located the methamphetamine Hill had purchased in her purse. After being arrested, Hill admitted to having sold methamphetamine for the last two years, that she had sold ounce and multi-ounce quantities at a time, and that she usually profited approximately $600 a week from the drug sales. Hill further admitted that she had several people waiting to purchase methamphetamine from her that same day, as Hill had previously informed them that she would be obtaining methamphetamine to sell.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of 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 United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-0194.
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Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Cayla Danielle Lindsay, 28, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Lindsay admitted that on July 23, 2020, during a traffic stop of a car she was driving in Beckley, law enforcement officers found approximately 27 grams of heroin that she intended to distribute. They also found a Springfield, XDS 9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol Lindsay was carrying at the time. Lindsay also admitted that on May 6, 2021, she possessed a SCCY, CPX-2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The firearm was found during a search law enforcement conducted at her residence in Beckley. Lindsay acknowledged that at the time she possessed the firearm, she knew she had been previously convicted in federal court of the felony offense of distribution of oxycodone and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Lindsay faces up to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, followed by a mandatory consecutive five years for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime when she is sentenced on February 4, 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 Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
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-00090.
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William S. Thompson Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Southern District of West VirginiaRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney William S. ThompsonCHARLESTON, W.Va. – William S. Thompson took the oath of office today to become the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. announced Thompson’s nomination on August 10, 2021, and the United States Senate confirmed him on October 5, 2021. Thompson was sworn in by Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston in a private ceremony.
“It is an honor to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia,” said U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson. “I look forward to leading the dedicated public servants in the office as we work in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement to make communities throughout southern West Virginia safer places to live.”
As United States Attorney, Thompson is the top-ranking law enforcement official in the Southern District of West Virginia. Thompson will oversee a staff of 34 attorneys and 41 non-attorney personnel located in offices in Charleston, Huntington, and Beckley. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Prior to taking office as United States Attorney, Thompson was a Circuit Court Judge in West Virginia’s 25th Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to that position in 2007 and re-elected in 2008 and 2016. Thompson presided over several treatment courts, including the first family treatment court in West Virginia. Prior to becoming a Circuit Court Judge, Thompson practiced law at the law firm of Cook and Cook in Boone County. There, he focused on litigation, which included representing several hundred indigent clients in criminal defense and other matters. Thompson also previously served as President of Madison Healthcare, Inc. and as Vice President of Danville Lumber Company.
Thompson was born in Charleston and raised in Boone County, West Virginia. He earned a degree in civil engineering from West Virginia University and a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law.
Thompson and his wife, Keri, are the proud parents of four children.
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.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Maurice Lavelle Miller Jr., 31, of Columbus, was sentenced today to seven months in federal prison for distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller sold approximately 0.8 grams of heroin to a confidential informant on Davis Street in Huntington on February 25, 2019. The substance was confirmed by the West Virginia State Police Laboratory as containing heroin, fentanyl, and a synthetic cannabinoid.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI’s Southern West Virginia Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) West Task Force.
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. 3:19-cr-00155.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington felon who was caught with guns earlier this year pleaded guilty today in federal court. Kevlin Jerrod Jackson, 41, entered a guilty plea to prohibited possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jackson admitted that on May 12, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at his residence located on 7th Street in Huntington. Jackson, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested after investigators seized a .45 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol from his residence. Jackson later admitted that he possessed the firearms, that he was a convicted felon, and that he used another individual to purchase the firearms on his behalf. Jackson was convicted of distributing cocaine in 2011 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of his conviction.
Jackson faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 18, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney 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. 3:21-cr-00091.
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Parkersburg Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg woman was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for using the United States Mail to facilitate fentanyl distribution. Audrey Mae Thompson, 40, previously admitted allowing Robert Lamar Bates-Porter to use her residence as a receiving address for shipments of drugs to be distributed in and around Parkersburg.
According to court documents and statements made in court, drug task force officers executed a search warrant at Thompson’s residence on Roselyn Avenue in Parkersburg on September 13, 2019, where they seized a kilogram of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of heroin. The search warrant was the culmination of a long-term investigation conducted by the Major Crimes Task Force in Washington County, Ohio and the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force. Along with the Roselyn Avenue search warrant, police executed warrants at several locations in Ohio where they recovered more than 200 grams of heroin, additional quantities of fentanyl and several firearms. Bates-Porter was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 400g or more of fentanyl and sentenced to 130 months in federal prison.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Major Crimes Task Force, the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Senior United States District Judge John. T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-00050 and 2:20-cr-00080..
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Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Walker, 41, of Craigsville, was sentenced today to six months in prison for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department arrived at Walker’s residence in August 2019 in response to a domestic battery in progress call. Two witnesses informed the officer that Walker had gotten into an altercation and threw an object at his girlfriend that missed her and struck a juvenile. Walker then assaulted the juvenile by choking him with both hands and later striking the juvenile in the face. Walker, who had a prior conviction for domestic battery of a household member, was arrested at the scene for domestic battery of the juvenile. A search warrant was executed and a loaded firearm was located inside the residence where the altercation occurred.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman handled the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00018.
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Columbus Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio man was sentenced to prison today after being convicted earlier this year of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Lewis Von Burks, Jr., 52, was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about October 2018 until November 2019, Lewis Von Burks, Jr. was selling black tar heroin to several individuals in Jackson County, West Virginia, and elsewhere. These individuals were regularly travelling to Columbus in order to meet Burks and complete the transactions. Burks had knowledge at the time that several of the individuals were taking the heroin back to Jackson County, and that at least one of the individuals was re-selling the heroin in Jackson County. During the period of the conspiracy, at least 100 grams of black tar heroin were re-sold within Jackson County.
Burks admitted to law enforcement officers during the investigation that he had been selling heroin to Jackson County residents since at least 2015, and estimated that he sold hundreds of ounces of heroin to Jackson County residents during that time.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00114.
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Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge. Codi Lee Douglas, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, Douglas admitted possessing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that law enforcement officers found in his vehicle during a traffic stop on January 27, 2021 in Parkersburg. Douglas is not legally permitted to possess firearms due to a 2016 conviction for malicious assault in Wood County Circuit Court. The malicious assault conviction was the result of Douglas shooting another man in the face in September 2015.
Douglas faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 5, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber 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-00113.
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Point Pleasant Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Point Pleasant man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Dale Randall McCarthy, Jr., 51, pleaded guilty to the offense in May 2021.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, McCarthy admitted that on August 8, 2020, he agreed with a man he met online to pay $100 to have sex with a 14-year-old girl that would be supplied by the other man. McCarthy met with the man at a motel in Dunbar and paid the man $40 up front for sex with the girl, with the remainder to be paid after the sexual activity. After paying the man $40, McCarthy was placed under arrest. McCarthy further admitted that he had previously used Craigslist to communicate with minors about meeting for sexual activity. In one such conversation, McCarthy admitted to requesting and receiving a sexually explicit image of a person who stated they were a minor.
Upon release from prison, McCarthy will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 10 years and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., 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. 2:20-cr-00160.
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Logan County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clifford Lee Griffin, 38, of Bruno, was arrested on the evening of September 30, 2019, at a residence in the Gilman Bottom area of Logan County where he had been selling drugs. Griffin was arrested by members of the West Virginia State Police who were executing a search warrant due to drug activity at the location. Troopers recovered two loaded handguns, over 75 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 grams of heroin. Griffin admitted that he possessed the guns to protect his drugs and money.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich 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-00163.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dante Williams, 24, of Charleston, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Williams sold two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on January 14, 2021. Williams arranged to first meet the informant in the parking lot of the Family Dollar store on Charleston’s West Side, but then directed the informant to follow him to Swinburn Street where the transaction took place. Williams also admitted that he fronted the informant an additional two ounces of methamphetamine for which Williams would be paid later.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman handled the prosecution.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032 (Williams, et al.).
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Alderson Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – An Alderson man pleaded guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography. Jack Michael Smith, 34, was charged by indictments in the Southern District of West Virginia and the District of Oregon. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon transferred their charges to the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Smith uploaded child pornography from a computer in West Virginia to Kik Messenger to share with others in March 2019. In October 2019, additional child pornography was shared from Smith’s account. A conversation with another Kik user indicated ongoing sexual abuse of a minor female. Smith admitted that he traveled from West Virginia to Oregon on a regular basis to engage in sexual activity with the minor female and took photographs of the minor female engaged in sexual activity with him.
Smith faces at least 15 years and up 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 28, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Local law enforcement in Oregon assisted in the investigation.
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White 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. 5:20-cr-00193.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Will Pope, also known as “Shorty,” 46, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of heroin.
According to court documents, Pope sold a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant near Beckley on February 13, 2020. Pope also admitted to distributing what he now knows was fentanyl on two other occasions, both transactions occurring on February 6, 2020.
Pope faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 22, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Detroit.
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-00111.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge. James David Morris, Jr., 42, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Morris was contacted at his residence in Beckley by deputies with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office on or about June 10, 2021. While deputies were inside Morris’ home speaking to him about an unrelated incident, they discovered a 12 gauge shotgun in the living room. Morris admitted to possessing the shotgun, and also admitted to knowing that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of having prior felony convictions. Morris was convicted of federal firearm crimes in the Southern District of West Virginia in 2013 and 2018. Morris was still serving a term of supervised release due to his 2018 federal conviction when he committed the current offense.
Morris faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 22, 2022.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:21-cr-00158 and 5:18-cr-00071.
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