Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two men pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers in Huntington, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
“Law enforcement officers are finding meth dealers in every county in my District,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “And we’re prosecuting them in record numbers.”
Johnny Belcher, Jr., 35, of Huntington, admitted that on July 17, 2019, officers found approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine in his pockets. Belcher told the officers the substance was “ice.” The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.
In a separate case, Walter Ray Cavender, age 50, of Mason County, admitted that on May 16, 2018, officers served a search warrant at his home on Evans Road in Leon, Mason County, West Virginia. At the time they served the search warrant, Cavender had approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine in his home which he intended to sell. He also had digital scales and approximately $1300 in cash. The Mason County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey is handling the prosecution.
Belcher faces up to 20 years in prison and Cavender faces up to 40 years in prison when sentenced on January 21, 2020.
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Wood County Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Belleville man pled guilty to a gun crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joshua Adam Dowler, 37, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms.
Dowler admitted that on April 12, 2018, he possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol at a residence on Cain Hill Road. Dowler was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to his July 2007 conviction of daytime burglary in Wood County Circuit Court. He was serving a term of parole at the time he possessed the pistol.
Dowler faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 31, 2020.
The United States Marshals Service, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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United States Attorney Mike Stuart Announces Progress in Making our Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
FBI 2018 Crime Report Shows 3.9 Drop in Violent Crime in the United States
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two years ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the department’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
Throughout the past two years, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. According to FBI’s 2018 Crime in the United States Report released this week, the violent crime rate decreased for the second consecutive year, down 3.9 percent from the 2017 numbers.
“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety. U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal police. The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”
“We are seeing significant reductions in violent crime as a result of PSN,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Our PSN success to date is a testament to the remarkable partnerships between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the Southern District. Rest assured that while we’ve locked up record numbers of violent drug dealers and prohibited persons with guns, we maintain a sense of urgency. We still have much work to do to keep our citizens safe from perpetrators of violence.”
“ATF strives to be ‘no better partner’ to law enforcement agencies,” stated ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Tommy Estevan of the Louisville Field Division. “During the past year, ATF investigated illegal sources of crime guns and persons who illegally possessed or used guns to commit violent crimes in the Huntington and Charleston communities. Together, we pursued ‘traffickers and trigger pullers’ with every resource, including new ballistic technology and other crime gun intelligence to disrupt the shooting cycle. ATF remains committed to the continued success of Project Safe Neighborhoods and this comprehensive approach to public safety.”
“Huntington’s reductions in violent crime can be credited to our partnerships with federal agencies and our community, as well as the hard work of our police officers,” said Huntington Police Chief Hank Dial. “Our PSN partnerships have resulted in more thorough and rapid gun investigations which have led to marked decreases in violent crime making our community a safer place to live.”
As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
As a result of its precipitous increase of violent crime in 2017, we have continued to focus our PSN enforcement efforts in the City of Huntington. Work continues with the Huntington Police Department (HPD) to identify and investigate the City’s most violent offenders. An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) works daily with HPD to conduct investigations on trigger pullers and gun traffickers. Collaborative law enforcement operations continue to shutter significant violent drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). Federal, state and local law enforcement are working collaboratively and cooperatively across jurisdictional boundaries to shut down the pipeline of drugs flowing into the Southern District of West Virginia through Huntington, which borders both Kentucky and Ohio. Through these successful operations, the flow of illicit drugs from out-of-state sources such as Akron, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan have been curtailed. Collaboration between federal, state and local partners most recently resulted in two significant takedowns: Operation Free Market – a takedown that took out a heroin and fentanyl DTO operating between Detroit and Huntington in which seven defendants have been charged by federal indictment, with approximately 120 grams of heroin and 130 grams of fentanyl taken off the streets of Huntington; and Operation Flat Tire which shuttered a large Akron to Huntington heroin and methamphetamine DTO. To date, 23 members of the DTO are under federal indictment. As a result of the long-term investigation, more than 22 pounds methamphetamine, 300 grams of heroin, 2 ounces of fentanyl and 15 firearms have been seized.
Recent notable cases include:
- Brandon Douglas Tomblin, of Huntington, was sentenced to 102 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Read more: https://go.usa.gov/xVFD7.
- Bryan Patrick, of Ohio, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Read more: https://go.usa.gov/xVFDw.
- Jonathan Forest Johnson, of Huntington, was sentenced to 131 months in prison for methamphetamine distribution and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Read more: https://go.usa.gov/xVFDS.
- Justin Michael Wilson, who threatened two Putnam County government employees with a machine gun and stole their work vehicle, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for carjacking and gun crimes. Read more: https://go.usa.gov/xVFWQ.
Community Partnerships
A public messaging campaign will soon be launched featuring the deterrent message “Gun Crime = Fed Time.” Meetings were held throughout the District to discuss PSN and the utilization of federal firearms statutes in cases of domestic violence with law enforcement, local prosecutors and victim service providers. In addition, United States Attorney Mike Stuart continues to address community and faith-based organizations to discuss violent crime prevention strategies and public safety.
Improvements to Community Safety
- For the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes in the nation decreased when compared with the previous year’s statistics, according to FBI figures released today. In 2018, the number of violent crimes was down 3.3 percent from the 2017 number.
- The 2018 statistics also show the estimated rate of violent crime was 368.9 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. The violent crime rate fell 3.9 percent when compared with the 2017 rate.
- In 2018, the City of Huntington’s overall violent crime offenses dropped approximately 20% and homicides decreased by 53%. Violent crime incidents continued to decline in early 2019. A comparison of the first six months of 2019 with the same time period in 2018 indicates another decrease in violent crime incidents of approximately 24%, a 71% reduction in murders; and a 52% decrease in robberies.
- In FY 19, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia increased the number of PSN defendants prosecuted by 77%. In addition, the Office increased prosecutions of felon in possession cases by approximately 29%.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Escape ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal prison inmate pled guilty to escape, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Linda Avila, 55, admitted that on January 29, 2019, she walked away from the Federal Prison Camp at Alderson where she was serving a sentence for fraud. She was captured almost immediately, only a short distance from the prison. The Federal Prison Camp at Alderson is a minimum security prison for women.
Avila faces up to five additional years in prison when sentenced on January 29, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney John File is handling the prosecution.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty today to a federal drug conspiracy charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Tremayne Swanson, also known as “Polo,” 28, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
“Swanson was part of a significant heroin and fentanyl trafficking operation wreaking havoc in the Huntington area,” said United States Mike Stuart. “I commend the excellent investigation conducted by DEA and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West that shut this network down.”
Swanson admitted that between December 2018 and May 2019 he conspired with other individuals to distribute heroin and fentanyl in Huntington, West Virginia. Swanson admitted he sold heroin for George Lockhart in Huntington.
Swanson faces up to twenty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 20, 2020.
Operation Free Market was a long-term drug investigation in the Huntington area. The investigation was the result of a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Detroit Man Sentenced for Federal Heroin ConvictionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in Huntington, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Brandon R. Ware, 35, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Ware was also ordered to serve a four-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
“Ware, a Detroit drug dealer, is responsible for distributing nearly 400 grams of heroin in Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Now he is one of many heroin dealers going to federal prison as a result of the collaborative work between federal, state and local law enforcement and my prosecutors.”
Ware previously admitted that, from November 2014 to May of 2016, he conspired with others to distribute over 100 grams of heroin in the Huntington area. Ware frequently received quantities of heroin which had been transported from Detroit on consignment and he would distribute the heroin in Huntington. Ware then returned money from the sales to the source of the heroin in Detroit. Ware admitted that he was responsible for the distribution of up to 400 grams of heroin during the conspiracy.
The FBI Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
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Detroit Man Sentenced for Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced to federal prison for a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Todd Stephens, 33, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl. His prison sentence is to be followed by three years of supervised release.
“Fentanyl is deadly,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “That’s why we have prosecuted every single fentanyl dealer brought to us by law enforcement.”
Stephens previously admitted that on August 28, 2017, he aided and abetted co-defendant Bree Eberbaugh in the distribution of heroin. Eberbaugh was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on July 1, 2019. The two were arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant on their residence. Inside, officers found two handguns, over $3,000 in cash, and over 54 grams of fentanyl.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys John Frail and Alexander Hamner handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Bluefield Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Bluefield woman pled guilty to selling drugs, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Cassandra Tiller, 36, pled guilty to distribution of heroin.
Tiller admitted that on March 13, 2017, she sold heroin to a confidential informant in Montcalm in Mercer County.
Tiller faces faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on February 3, 2020.
The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys John File and Negar Kordestani are handling the prosecution.
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Two Beckley Men Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that two Beckley men have been sentenced to federal prison for being felons in possession of firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley Police Department conducted the investigations. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences.
John Swain, 45, was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Swain was previously convicted by a federal jury in April 2019. Witnesses for the United States testified that on September 20, 2018, Swain, along with two other individuals, was being investigated for public intoxication and open container in downtown Beckley. Swain was the only one who was non-compliant. He continuously put his hands in his pocket and waistband area. Swain then fled on foot and maneuvered his hands towards his waist during the foot pursuit. He was apprehended and a canine tracked a 9mm Taurus pistol along the path of flight. After Swain’s arrest, law enforcement read him his Miranda rights and in a recorded interview, Swain admitted to possessing the firearm and that he wanted to get a clip and shoot it to see what it sounded like. Swain was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2008 federal conviction in the Southern District of West Virginia for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Saunders and Steven I. Loew are in charge of the prosecution and tried the case before a federal jury.
In another case, John Watson, 43, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Watson previously admitted that on May 8 2018, an ATF Special Agent contacted him to discuss three firearms that he had recently purchased. The firearms consisted of a Springfield Armory, model 1911 Trophy Match, .45 caliber pistol; a Smith & Wesson, model 57, .41 caliber revolver; and a Sig Sauer, model M400, .223 caliber rifle. The ATF agent informed Watson that each of the firearms were stolen and asked him to return them to the Beckley Police Department. Watson complied and turned the firearms over to the police. Watson admitted that at the time he possessed the aforementioned firearms, he knew that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of a 2004 felony conviction in Harrison County Circuit Court. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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Operation Mountaineer Highway Update: New Jersey Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison for his participation in a drug trafficking organization, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Terry, 38, was sentenced to 92 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. Stuart commended the cooperative investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, with the support of the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug Task Force, the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Oak Hill Police Department.
“Terry was a major oxycodone dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The day we took Terry and his co-conspirators off the streets was a great day for the citizens of Fayette County.”
At his plea hearing in July, Terry previously admitted that between October 2017 and September 2018, he worked with other members of a drug trafficking organization operating between Fayette County, West Virginia and New Jersey to distribute oxycodone pills. It was established that on May 31, 2018, Terry distributed over 500 oxycodone pills to another member of the drug trafficking organization in Fayette County, West Virginia. Terry obtained the oxycodone tablets in New Jersey and transported them to West Virginia. It was further established that on June 20, 2018 he was driving a car again transporting oxycodone pills from New Jersey to West Virginia. It was the plan to deliver the pills to the same member of the drug trafficking organization in West Virginia to be redistributed and sold illegally in the Southern District of West Virginia for profit. Prior to delivering the pills to West Virginia, the car Terry was driving was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police. During the traffic stop, approximately 997 oxycodone pills were recovered. The pills were hidden in a secret compartment, commonly referred to as a trap. The prosecution of Terry culminated from a joint investigation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies known as Mountaineer Highway.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Andrew J. Tessman handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
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North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Pill DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A North Carolina man pled guilty to selling pills to an undercover law enforcement officer, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Ricky Walker, 42, pled guilty to distribution of oxycodone and oxymorphone. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation.
“Another pill dealer stands convicted,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are continuing to take record numbers of pill dealers and poison peddlers off our streets.”
Walker admitted that on November 2, 2012, he sold 90 oxycodone and 60 oxymorphone pills to what proved to be an undercover DEA Task Force Officer on the parking lot of the Comfort Inn in Cross Lanes, West Virginia.
Walker faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 30, 2019.
Senior United States District Judge John Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is handling the prosecution.
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Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County woman was sentenced to federal prison for a heroin trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Valerie Ramey, 42, of Hernshaw, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
“Ramey was selling powerful and deadly heroin and fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are prosecuting drug dealers with a sense of urgency like never before. Too many lives have been lost. The poison peddlers have to be held accountable.”
Ramey previously admitted that between May 30, 2017 and November 17, 2017, she participated in a conspiracy with her co-defendant, Curtis Watson, also known as “Low,” to distribute heroin in and around Hernshaw, West Virginia.
Beginning in 2015, Watson would typically deliver at least five grams of heroin to Ramey at her residence in Hernshaw approximately every two days. Ramey would store and sell the heroin out of her residence and transferred the proceeds of her drugs sales to Watson.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, on May 30, 2017 and June 8, 2017, Ramey distributed a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On August 1, 2017, Ramey distributed a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory, the U.S. 119 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders handled the prosecution.
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Former Parkersburg Physician Pleads Guilty for His Role in Hope Clinic ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Parkersburg physician pled guilty to a drug conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Paul W. Burke, 68, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances not for legitimate medical purposes in the usual course of professional medical practice and beyond the bounds of medical practice.
Burke worked at the Charleston HOPE Clinic, a chronic pain clinic, from April 2014 through September 2014. Burke admitted that the owner of the HOPE Clinic recruited him to work there despite Burke being primarily an emergency room doctor and surgeon with little experience in dealing with chronic pain patients and no training in prescribing schedule II narcotics for the treatment of chronic pain. The owner explained to Burke that narcotics auditors employed by PPPFD who were “former DEA Agents,” would screen customers for abuse, addiction, and diversion prior to the customer ever seeing him. In approximately April 2014, Burke began working at the Charleston HOPE Clinic. Burke understood at the time he was contracted that the purpose of HOPE Clinic was to provide pain customers with oral opiate pain medicine. As the practice manager and owner both knew, however, Burke had no background or specialized training in chronic pain management.
Burk admitted that when he started working at the HOPE Clinic, it became apparent that some of the customers were not getting properly evaluated prior to the doctors writing them prescriptions for opioids, that the customers’ files were poorly kept and had little relevant medical information in them. Burk admitted that many of the patients came to the HOPE Clinic from out of state, and most customers paid in cash. He also admitted that he often received a bonus on top of his hourly pay that was clearly based on the number of paying customers at the Clinic. Despite all of these red flags, Burke admitted that he continued to work at the HOPE Clinic and continued to write customers prescriptions for Schedule II narcotics. For example, Burke admitted that he and other doctors at HOPE Clinic should not have prescribed Schedule II opioid medications to customer S.W. Doctors at the HOPE Clinic, including Burke, prescribed oxycodone to S.W., and Burke admitted those prescriptions were not for a legitimate medical reason in the usual course of professional practice and were beyond the bounds of medical practice. Between December 2012 and September 2014, eight different doctors at the HOPE Clinic wrote her prescriptions for a total of 720 oxycodone 10 mg pills and 2,670 oxycodone 15 mg pills. During that less than two-year period, S.W. took eight drug tests and failed every single one. Burke admitted to only recognizing that S.W. failed three drug tests. Between December 2012 and September 2014, no one at the HOPE Clinic discussed drug addiction, drug abuse, drug treatment or drug diversion with S.W. On August 25, 2014, despite the clear evidence of abuse and diversion, Burke admitted to writing S.W. a prescription for 150 oxycodone 15 mg and 60 Percocet 10 mg.
“As I’ve said many times, medical professionals who prey on individuals struggling with substance use disorder to line their own pockets will be held accountable,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “A drug dealer in a lab coat is still just a drug dealer. We will work with our law enforcement partners to remove them from our communities to protect West Virginia families.”
“Patients struggling with opioid addiction are someone’s parents, children, friends or loved ones, and it’s our responsibility to protect them from bad actors who seek to profit from their struggle” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General-Philadelphia Regional Office (HHS-OIG). “Today’s conviction shows we are holding bad actors accountable and working to prevent further harm to patients.”
“Distributing addictive opioids for illegitimate purposes poses a serious threat to patients and public health and will not be tolerated,” said Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice unscrupulous actors who unlawfully distribute these dangerous drugs to the American public.”
Burke faces up to five years in prison when sentenced on January 30, 2020.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, the Kentucky State Police, the Beckley Police Department, the Virginia State Police, the Charleston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Monica D. Coleman and Steven I. Loew are handling the prosecution.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced to federal prison for heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficking, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jason Dean Treadway, 36, was sentenced to 200 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, along with quantities of heroin and fentanyl. Upon completing his prison sentence, Treadway will serve an additional term of four years of supervised release.
“200 months. Over 16 years in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Treadway was on supervised release at the time he was selling meth, heroin and fentanyl in house with multiple guns. It will be quite a while before he has another opportunity re-offend while on supervised release.”
Treadway previously admitted that he sold heroin and fentanyl to an informant on January 14, 2019 at his residence on Deepwater Mountain Road. On January 15, 2019, members of the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the residence and seized 446 grams of methamphetamine, 89.95 grams of heroin, 90.82 grams of fentanyl and three handguns. Treadway’s girlfriend, Jessica Lynn Hall, 29, was sentenced to 71 months in prison after pleading guilty to her role in the offense.
The Central West Virginia Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Harvery Booker, 54, was sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a 3 year term of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Booker previously admitted that on September 12, 2018 he broke into a house in St. Albans and stole 32 firearms, including a machine gun. At the time he stole the firearms, Booker had previously been convicted of at least three counts of breaking and entering, one count of aggravated robbery, and one count of escape.
“I believe in second chances but, sadly, this guy never learned from his prior lengthy history in the American justice system,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “He stole 32 firearms, including a machine gun. Incredibly dangerous activity and he was a felon to boot. This is an egregious case.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Drew Inman handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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A Man on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced to federal prison for a gun crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Herman Lee James, 46, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. James was on federal supervised release at the time of the gun offense. The Court revoked his supervised release and ordered him to serve 18 months in prison to run concurrently with the 40 month term of imprisonment imposed for the gun crime.
James admitted that he was found in possession of a Ruger P95 9 mm pistol near Piedmont and Slack Street in Charleston. James has three prior drug convictions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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Three Kentucky Residents Indicted for $4 Million Warranty Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging three Kentucky residents with ten counts of fraud and identity theft relating to a scheme to defraud a major car company of more than $4 million, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
According to the indictment, James Pinson, 44, Gary Conn, 56, and, Tammy Newsome, 53, of Kentucky organized and participated in a scheme to misuse a car company’s warranty extension program that offered to repurchase certain trucks for 150% of their value, so long as those trucks were owned by individual customers rather than a dealership. Participants in the scheme bought the trucks at wholesale prices at auction through Pinson’s car dealership, Big Blue Motor Sales of Louisa, Kentucky. They then obtained hundreds of copies of Kentucky and West Virginia residents’ driver’s licenses, fraudulently titled the trucks in the name of those residents, and induced the car company to repurchase the trucks at 150% of value.
According to the indictment, the indicted defendants ran 350 trucks through the scheme between 2013 and 2015, causing approximately $4.3 million in losses to the car company. Newsome is also charged with aggravated identity theft. Frank Russo, 68, of North Carolina and Kevin Fluharty, 58, of West Virginia have already been indicted for their role in the same scheme.
If convicted, the three defendants face up to 30 years in prison.
“This is the second indictment setting forth very serious allegations of a long-term warranty fraud scheme,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Five individuals have now been charged in connection with the alleged fraud scheme that resulted in $4 million in losses.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad is handling the prosecution.
The indictment can be found here.
Please note: An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced on Weapon ChargeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution at Beckley was sentenced to federal prison for a weapon offense, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joshua Allen, 29, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for being an inmate in possession of a weapon. His sentence will run consecutively to the sentence he was serving at the time of his offense.
Allen previously admitted that on December 7, 2018, while he was an inmate at the prison, he possessed a handcrafted weapon known as a “shank.” The weapon was recovered by a staff member after Allen attempted to discard it.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecution.
United States Attorney Mike Stuart Issues Statement on Election SecurityRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.VA. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement about the important issues of elections, election security and voter legitimacy:
“During the 2018 election cycle, Secretary of State Warner referred to my office what he perceived to be an attempted intrusion by an outside party into the West Virginia military mobile voting system. I note that there was no intrusion and the integrity of votes and the election system was not compromised. My office instituted an investigation to determine the facts and whether any federal laws were violated. The FBI has led that investigation. That investigation is currently ongoing and no legal conclusions whatsoever have been made regarding the conduct of the activity or whether any federal laws were violated.
The United States Department of Homeland Security has designated elections as “Critical Infrastructure.” Federal and state officials including law enforcement treat potential threats against our elections extremely seriously. There is no greater threat to our way of life and democracy than the threat of compromised elections. The reliability of our election system and the sanctity of every vote is something we should never have to question. Sadly, the challenge and threat isn’t only foreign interference but, rather, institutions, interest groups, third parties and trouble makers that seek to test or challenge or ultimately undermine the legitimacy of our elections and, as a result, our governing institutions and our government. It is something the Department of Justice and this office will not tolerate – not even a little.
In anticipation of the 2020 election cycle, a cycle that may well be the most contested, most intense and most brutal election cycle in the history of the nation, let me be absolutely clear: If you are a party – any party – or an individual – any individual – that intentionally compromises or attempts to intentionally compromise our election systems, the security related to our election systems, or the legitimacy of the votes cast by citizens, my office will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Free and fair elections are a critical foundation to the maintenance of liberty. Whether in the name of an academic exercise, a mere challenge or thrill, or to actually cause harm, we will treat every risk extremely seriously and as a threat to “Critical Infrastructure.” Even a mere attempt is unacceptable. If you do the crime, be ready to do the time. Our election systems are sophisticated with many electronic fingerprints that will lead us exactly to the violators of our secured systems. Don’t do it. Don’t even think about it.”
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman pled guilty today to a federal drug conspiracy charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Krystal Ewing, 31, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging her with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
“Operation Free Market disrupted a significant heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization operating between Detroit and Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My office is setting historic records in the number of prosecutions of drug dealers and poison peddlers. We are working hard every day to shutter drug networks responsible for bringing these deadly drugs into our state.”
Ewing admitted that between December 2018 and May 2019 she conspired with other individuals to distribute heroin and fentanyl in Huntington, West Virginia. Ewing admitted that she would travel to Detroit, Michigan to obtain heroin for George Lockhart for him to sell in Huntington.
Ewing faces up to twenty years in federal prison when she is sentenced on January 13, 2020.
Operation Free Market was a long-term drug investigation in the Huntington area. The investigation was the result of a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—A Huntington woman pled guilty to embezzling money from 2015 until April 2019 from the Huntington branch of the West Virginia Federal Credit Union (WVFCU), announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Frances McComas, 56, pled guilty to embezzling $165,500 from WVFCU.
“This was an egregious crime by a bank employee,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “McComas stole cash for approximately four years from the credit union that employed her. We will continue to work with the FBI to prosecute cases like this.”
McComas, who worked as a teller at WVFCU, admitted she took $165,500 from the credit union’s vault and falsified the financial records to hide the embezzlement. McComas faces up to 30 years in prison and 5 years supervised release when sentenced on January 6, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation handled the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Arthur is handling the prosecution.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Kenneth Alexander, 33, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin.
“We’re taking heroin dealers off the streets one by one and, on certain days, by the dozens,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are laser focused on prosecuting drug dealers and making our communities safer for West Virginia families.”
Alexander admitted that on August 1, 2018, he and another individual sold heroin to a confidential informant in the 1100 block of 9th Avenue in Huntington, West Virginia.
Alexander faces up to twenty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 13, 2020.
The Cabell County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Federal Inmate Pleads to Weapon ChargeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – An inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution at McDowell pled guilty to a weapon offense, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Devin Dantzler, 24, pled guilty to being an inmate in possession of a weapon.
Dantzler admitted that on June 26, 2019, while he was an inmate at the prison, he possessed a handcrafted weapon commonly called a “shank.” A staff member at the prison found the shank in Dantzler’s pocket during a search.
Dantzler faces up to five years in prison when sentenced on February 3, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney John File is handling the prosecution.
Raleigh County Woman Indicted on Multiple Counts of Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Bankruptcy Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Beckley woman with multiple counts of fraud, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Natalie P. Cochran, 38, owner of Technology Management Solutions (TMS) and Tactical Solutions Group (TSG), was charged in a 26-count indictment with wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft and bankruptcy fraud.
“A 26-count indictment alleging wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft and bankruptcy fraud,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “All indictments are serious and this is a serious matter. Ms. Cochran pretended to be a government contractor, intentionally misled investors to raise money for her fraudulent schemes, intentionally stole personal identification information from multiple individuals, falsely marketed herself and her companies as experienced, leading suppliers of government services while never being awarded a single federal contract and having two potential state contracts cancelled, and then engaged in bankruptcy fraud. I want to thank the work of my team and the West Virginia State Police, Secret Service, FDIC and ATF for their tremendous work in this matter.”
“The results of this investigation demonstrate the Secret Service’s commitment to strong partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Thomas Fleming, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Charleston Resident Office. “We are committed to protecting our nation’s financial institutions and the citizens of West Virginia. We would like to thank the West Virginia State Police, the ATF, and the FDIC OIG for their cooperation and partnership in this case.”
According to the indictment, Cochran has pretended to be an experienced government contractor since 2017. She advertised TMS and TSG as experienced government contracting businesses. TSG’s website even boasted that it was a leading supplier to the Department of Defense. Investigators learned however, that TSG was never awarded a single federal or state government contract. TMS was awarded two state government contracts, but the State of West Virginia ultimately cancelled these awards because of TMS’ repeated delays in performance.
It is further alleged in the indictment that Cochran received investments from at least 11 individuals in her government contracting businesses, TSG and TMS. Cochran received these investments as a result of her false misrepresentations regarding TSG’s and TMS’ experience and purported success as government contractors. Cochran also received funds from at least one financial institution as a result of her false and misleading statements regarding TSG and TMS. During the course of her fraudulent schemes, Cochran stole identification information from multiple individuals, who were either employed by the federal government or the banking industry. She would then send investors emails that were purportedly from these individuals in order to further her wire fraud and bank fraud schemes.
This past July, Cochran filed for bankruptcy. The indictment further alleges that she made several material misrepresentations within her bankruptcy filing and lied while testifying under oath at her meeting of creditors.
The indictment alleges that Cochran fraudulently obtained over $2.5 million during her scheme and is believed to have spent over $1 million of investor money. Cochran used investor money to fund her lifestyle for over a year and a half, as she was unemployed during that time outside of her work with TSG and TMS. She also used the investor money for extravagant purchases, including jewelry, a 1965 Shelby Cobra, and multiple properties.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
The West Virginia State Police, the United States Secret Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is handling the prosecution.
Please note: An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
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Mason County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Federal Carjacking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Mason County man who threatened two employees of the Putnam Public Service District (PSD) with a machinegun and stole their company truck last year in Teays Valley was sentenced in federal court, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Justin Michael Wilson, 20, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after he was previously convicted of carjacking, using, carrying, and brandishing a machinegun during and in relation to a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and possession of an unregistered machinegun. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and multiple agencies who responded to the crimes, including the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police.
“30 years for a 20 year old - truly tragic,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Threatening government employees. Use of a machine gun. Risking the lives of law enforcement. These were incredibly dangerous actions that could have resulted in loss of many lives. We will never accept this type of violent and illegal behavior but we appreciate the human tragedy of a 20 year old serving 30 years in prison.”
On January 11, 2018, Wilson drove a vehicle he had stolen earlier in the day in Jackson County to the Liberty Square Shopping Plaza in Teays Valley. While in route to the shopping plaza, Wilson acquired a machinegun and engaged deputies in Kanawha County in a chase, eventually driving off-road and jumping his vehicle over railroad tracks to get away. When he arrived at the shopping plaza, Wilson approached two employees of the Putnam Public Service District eating lunch in their company truck. Wilson brandished the machinegun, demanded the men transfer items from the stolen vehicle to the PSD truck, and stole the truck.
A West Virginia State Police trooper and deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department responding to calls at the shopping plaza for assistance immediately saw Wilson fleeing in the truck. Wilson then entered Interstate 64 headed westbound and led the responding units on another high speed chase. During the pursuit, Wilson pointed the machinegun out of the truck at the trooper, ran vehicles off the road, crossed the median at a designated emergency vehicle crossing, traveled westbound in the eastbound lanes, exited the interstate by traveling the wrong way up the entrance ramp at Hurricane, and eventually crashed the truck which was destroyed by fire. Wilson was pulled from the burning truck by the trooper and placed under arrest.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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MEDIA ADVISORY: United States Attorney Mike Stuart to Hold Press Conference in Beckley TomorrowRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement officials, will hold a press conference in Beckley on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. to discuss law enforcement actions of significant interest.
Where: Robert C. Byrd Federal Building
110 North Heber Street
Beckley, WV
When: Thursday, September 26, 2019 @ 1:30 p.m.
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Long-Term FBI Investigation Shutters Large Akron to West Virginia Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
21 Total Individuals Indicted for Roles in Drug Conspiracy
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced multiple indictments today charging numerous individuals with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin which operated between Akron, Ohio and the Southern District of West Virginia. The indictments and subsequent arrests resulted from an extensive, joint investigation spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Ona 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. Also included in the charges is information uncovered in a separate investigation conducted by the Huntington Police Department. The investigation resulted in two indictments charging a total of 21 individuals for their roles in distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin, primarily in Cabell, Putnam, and Kanawha Counties in the Southern District of West Virginia.
“This case demonstrates the incredible commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement to work collaboratively and cooperatively across jurisdictional boundaries to shut down the pipeline of drugs flowing into West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My Office has spearheaded many, many takedowns but this one is particular important. Indictments by a West Virginia grand jury are being executed today in Akron and West Virginia. Search warrants were executed and, trust me, this is dangerous work. I always pray for the safety of law enforcement involved in the arrests. Those arrested in Akron will be brought to West Virginia and prosecuted in West Virginia. When I took my oath of office nearly two years ago, I did so with the absolute conviction that I would do all in my power to root out the drug dealers, drug thugs and poison peddlers that have caused so much devastation, despair and death. As a son of West Virginia, my heart aches for the effects of this scourge on our people, our families and our children. I am impassioned to end this scourge. We will continue to do everything within our power and use every available resource to disrupt the supply of deadly drugs coming into our state, prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent of the law, and protect the people of West Virginia.”
"Drug dealers are trying to take advantage of the addiction problem this community and the entire state faces," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones. "They have chosen West Virginia to do business, but I’m here to tell them today, to take their business elsewhere. We and our law enforcement partners will use every tool we have to stop criminals from exploiting the vulnerable people."
This long-term investigation uncovered an ongoing scheme to transport large quantities of crystal methamphetamine and heroin from Akron to the Southern District of West Virginia. The drugs were then distributed across the Southern District, primarily in Cabell, Putnam, and Kanawha Counties. During the investigation, agents were able to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine and seize large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin. It is believed that the shuttering of this drug conspiracy will continue to address and curtail the availability of highly pure methamphetamine and heroin in the Southern District.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between numerous federal, state and local law enforcement partners and today’s actions would not have been possible without the seamless collaboration of all involved agencies. The investigation is ongoing and could result in additional federal and state charges in the future.
Please Note: An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Mike Stuart to Hold Press Conference in Huntington Tomorrow
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement officials, will hold a press conference in Huntington on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss major law enforcement actions.
Where: Sidney L. Christie Federal Building
845 Fifth Avenue
Huntington, WV
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 @ 3:00 p.m.
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Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Apache Junction, Arizona man pled guilty to possessing methamphetamine and heroin, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Clint Gentile, 39, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
“550 grams of meth and 11 grams of black tar heroin,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Gentile was coming from Arizona, but I don’t care where drug dealers are bringing drugs from – we don’t want out-of-state drug dealers peddling their poisons here.”
Gentile admitted that on July 26, 2019 he was traveling on I-64 in Cabell County, West Virginia. The vehicle was pulled over for various traffic violations. Members of the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West searched the vehicle and found approximately 550 grams of methamphetamine and 11 grams of black tar heroin. Gentile admitted that he had traveled to West Virginia with the intent to distribute the methamphetamine and heroin.
Gentile faces up to twenty years in prison when sentenced on January 6, 2020.
The Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods Update: Three Appear in Federal Court on Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that three defendants appeared in federal court this week on gun crimes.
Tristan Monroe Baldwin, 23, of Charleston, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Following his prison sentence, Baldwin must complete an in-patient drug treatment program as part of his three year term of supervised release. According to public court hearings and documents, on October 11, 2017, the pastor of Baber-Agee United Methodist Church entered a building on church property and found Baldwin, who had broken into the building through a window. Baldwin fled into the woods. Later the same day, Baldwin burglarized several vehicles on a property on Dutch Creek Road in Charleston, before the property owners’ dogs chased Baldwin away. Police investigators ultimately found Baldwin carrying a duffle bag that held a loaded .40 caliber pistol, a methamphetamine pipe, and various stolen items. Baldwin admitted to investigators that he had been heavily using methamphetamine for three years. As an unlawful drug user, Baldwin was federally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman handled the prosecution.
Melvin Peters, 32, of Charleston, pled guilty to prohibited possession of a firearm. Peters admitted that during a traffic stop near the Greyhound Bus Station in Charleston, he threw a Rossi Model 46102, .357 Magnum revolver underneath the car he was driving. Peters had a previous conviction of domestic battery. Peters faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced on December 11, 2019. The ATF and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
Keanna Carter, of Charleston, pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Carter admitted that she possessed 251 oxycodone pills at her house with the intent to distribute them for money. Carter further admitted that she possessed firearms for the purpose of assisting her with the drug trafficking. Carter faces a minimum five year sentence in prison when sentenced on December 11, 2019. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Arthur is handling the prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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Operation Shutdown Corner: Law Enforcement Dismantles Multi-State Methamphetamine Pipeline from Southern California to West VirginiaRead the Press Release
17 Individuals Indicted as part of Drug Trafficking Organization
Over 200 Law Enforcement Officers from Multiple States Involved in Takedown
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced a major takedown today of drug traffickers resulting in the dismantling of a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing pounds of methamphetamine from San Diego, California to West Virginia. The indictments and subsequent arrests are the result of a long-term investigation led by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the United States Marshals Service, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, which is made up of law enforcement officers from the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Beckley Police Department and the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force. The operation, dubbed “Operation Shutdown Corner,” resulted in two indictments charging 17 individuals in the DTO alleged to have distributed methamphetamine and heroin.
“Today’s coordinated takedown as part of Operation Shutdown Corner is a significant achievement in our continued effort to rid West Virginia of the drug traffickers, drug dealers and poison peddlers that have caused so much pain and despair among our people,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “From San Diego to West Virginia, today’s operation shutdown a major drug trafficking organization. Over 200 law enforcement agents from more than five states were involved in this operation without incident and according to plan. I want to thank the tremendous investigative and law enforcement efforts of all our partners at the federal, state and local levels. Great work. As a result of these indictments and arrests, West Virginia communities and West Virginia families are safer today than they were yesterday. We continue with a sense of urgency to take down and remove those who cause only harm and despair in the interests of greed and making money.”
"Disrupting drug trafficking organizations like this one is a critical part of the FBI's mission. The heroin, meth and guns seized are dangerous and can lead to dangerous consequences," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones. "These arrests should send a message to other groups who think they can do business in West Virginia. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are pooling all our resources to stop you and the violence that comes with the drug trade you deem as profitable."
The long-term investigation revealed that a stream of packages containing pounds of methamphetamine were being shipped from the San Diego, California area and being received in the Southern District of West Virginia using common carriers, such as the United States Postal Service and the United Parcel Service (UPS). Several packages were intercepted by law enforcement, and using law enforcement tools, the full nature and scope of the DTO was revealed. The dismantling of the DTO resulted in the seizure of large quantities of controlled substances, illegally possessed firearms, and United States currency, which represents proceeds of the DTO’s illegal operations. It is believed that the shutting down of this DTO will significantly curtail the methamphetamine scourge in Raleigh County and the surrounding area.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between federal, state and local law enforcement partners. Today’s actions would not have been possible without the seamless collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The investigation is ongoing and could result in additional federal and state charges in the future.
Please Note: An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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MEDIA ADVISORY: United States Attorney Mike Stuart to Hold Press Conference in Beckley TomorrowRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Mike Stuart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement officials, will hold a press conference in Beckley on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss indictments resulting from a long-term investigation.
Where: Robert C. Byrd Federal Building
110 North Heber Street
Beckley, WV
When: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 @ 3:00 p.m.
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Guatemalan National Man Pleads Guilty to an Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Guatemalan national man pled guilty to the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Daniel Lopez-Ajqui, 26, faces up to two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, a special assessment, and possible removal from the United States when he is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2019. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“This is Constitution Week in the United States and I celebrate that it is not only the finest document ever written by man but that it is also the foundation for the greatest nation in the history of the earth. But to be an American, you must follow the rules and come to this nation legally. This is Lopez-Ajqui’s third removal,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “If he legally entered our country, he would be welcomed to stay.”
On June 11, 2019, Lopez-Ajqui was found in Elkview by members of ICE after they received information Lopez-Ajqui was working illegally in Elkview. ICE agents traveled to Elkview to confirm his legal status. The defendant admitted to agents that he was in the United States illegally. Lopez-Ajqui was arrested and ICE agents matched his fingerprints to previous removals from the United States. ICE agents further spoke to the defendant to confirm his identity. Lopez-Ajqui again admitted being in the United States illegally and had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Fingerprinting matched Lopez-Ajqui to two prior removals from the United States in 2018 from Texas. In all prior removal hearings, Lopez-Ajqui was found by immigration judges to be in the United States illegally and he was deported to Guatemala. He had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Lopez-Ajqui further admitted to ICE agents that he was a Guatemalan citizen.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.
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Akron Woman Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Heroin, Carfentanil and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Akron, Ohio, woman was sentenced to federal prison for a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Azriel Irene Westfall, 21, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. Westfall must also serve a three year term of supervised release after her prison term.
“Another Akron drug dealer bringing powerful and deadly drugs – 30 grams of a heroin and carfentanil mixture, heroin and methamphetamine - into our area,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are working closely with our partners in Akron and the Northern District of Ohio. Our partnerships are growing stronger and our ability to stop drug dealers in the act is improving. We don’t want drug dealers here. If they come to my district and are arrested, they can plan on no return trips anytime soon. Westfall won’t being going home to Akron until she serves her time in federal prison.”
On February 28, 2018, police investigators executed a search warrant on a drug house on Mountain Road in Charleston, where Westfall was staying with several other people. The investigators searched Westfall’s purse and found close to 30 grams of a mixture of heroin and carfentanil (a powerful fentanyl analogue); almost 10 grams of heroin; and around 3 grams of ice methamphetamine. Westfall was also carrying over $6,000 in drug proceeds in her purse.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman handled the prosecution.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Update: Six Appear in Federal Court for Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that six defendants appeared in federal court this week for various gun crimes.
“As part of PSN, we’re working hard with ATF and state and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime in our communities,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Prosecuting violators of federal gun laws is vital to our efforts. Week after week, we take more prohibited persons with guns off our streets and put them behind bars.”
Four men appeared in United States District Court in Charleston on felon in possession charges:
Tijuan Tyson, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Tyson previously admitted that on October 19, 2015, he was approached by officers because he looked similar to a suspect involved in a robbery. He appeared nervous, had his hands in his pocket, and dropped a bag of suspected marijuana on the ground prior to taking off on foot. He was apprehended and during a search incident to arrest, officers located the loaded and operable Arsenal CO, 9 mm caliber pistol, which was listed as stolen, in his pocket. Tyson is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has been convicted of the felony of Use of an Access Device With the Intent to Defraud. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders handled the prosecution.
Dakota Zachary Williams, 24, of St. Albans, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon. At public court hearings, it was established that on January 19, 2019, police stopped Williams for erratic driving in St. Albans. Williams told an officer that he was swerving because he was rolling a blunt while driving and that he had marijuana in his cup holder. Investigators recovered the marijuana and also found a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat. They arrested Williams and found that he was carrying more marijuana, various pills, and around 3 grams of methamphetamine. Further, on February 12, 2019, police arrested Williams again in the parking lot of Walmart in Nitro, where Williams had shoplifted an item. On scene, investigators found Williams carrying another loaded firearm, marijuana, and a box of ammunition. Williams had previously been convicted for felony wanton endangerment in 2016 and his right to possess a firearm was not restored. The St. Albans Police Department, Nitro Police Department, and the ATF conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman handled the prosecution.
Shannon Brown, 43, of Charleston, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brown admitted that on June 6, 2019, he possessed a Smith and Wesson, .40 caliber handgun, in and affecting interstate commerce. Brown had previously been convicted of two prior drug felonies on August 12, 1998 and July 13, 2004, in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, WV, and was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Brown faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 30, 2020. The Charleston Police Department and the ATF conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Steven I. Loew is handling the prosecution.
William Ware, 41, of Ohio, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. On May 18, 2017, Charleston Police investigated a call that shots were fired on 6th Street in Charleston. The defendant and his vehicle matched the description provided by witnesses of who fired the shots. Charleston Police found magazine with 12 shot of ammunition in the driver side floor of the vehicle after pulling Defendant over on Bagley Street. Defendant had three prior felony convictions, and did not have his rights restored to possess firearms or ammunition. The Charleston Police Department and the ATF conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Arthur handled the prosecution.
In addition, two Huntington men pled guilty before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers to being felons in possession of firearms.
Randall Allen Eplion, Jr., 30, admitted that, on April 5, 2019, officers with the Huntington Police Department executed a search warrant at his residence located at 427 Rear 6th Avenue, Apartment E in Huntington . During the search, officers found Eplion in possession of a number of firearms including a .45 caliber pistol, a 5.56 mm rifle, and a 12 gauge shotgun. Eplion was prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior conviction for first degree robbery in Cabell County. Eplion admitted as part of his plea that he possessed a total of 21 firearms that officers located during the search. Some of the firearms were stolen and Eplion admitted that he traded methamphetamine for a number of the firearms. Eplion also admitted that the 5.56 mm rifle qualified as a machinegun, the 12 gauge shotgun qualified as a short-barrel shotgun, and that neither of the firearms were registered as required by federal law. Eplion faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 16, 2019. The ATF and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.
Jeremy Bartram, 27, admitted that on July 6, 2019 the West Virginia State Police conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle in the area of 16th Street Road in Huntington. Bartram admitted to the Trooper that he possessed a handgun. The Trooper then searched the vehicle and found the firearm in a bag between Bartram’s feet. Bartram is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of a felony offense. Bartram faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 16, 2019. The West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is handling the prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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Operation Mountaineer Highway Update: Fayette County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that a Fayette County man was sentenced on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Greg Coleman, 43, of Scarbro, was sentenced to 300 months, or 25 years, in federal prison. Stuart commended the cooperative investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, with the support of the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug Task Force, the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Oak Hill Police Department.
“25 years in federal prison. 25 years. To put it in perspective, 25 years ago, there wasn’t an iPhone and Bill Clinton was in his first term. This is a significant sentence for a significant crime,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Coleman, already a felon, was a major poly-drug dealer with an arsenal of firearms. All that got him was a very long sentence in federal prison.”
At an earlier hearing, Coleman admitted that between October 2017 and July 31, 2018, he worked with other members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Fayette County to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and oxycodone pills. Coleman admitted that during this time period, he distributed approximately three kilograms of heroin, approximately one-and-a-half kilograms of methamphetamine, and about 3000 oxycodone pills in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. Coleman also previously admitted that on July 16, 2018 he consented to a search of his residence by law enforcement officers. During the search, officers recovered 182 grams of heroin that Coleman had just obtained from another member of the drug trafficking organization and multiple guns. Coleman knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms due to a prior felony conviction in Fayette County, West Virginia Circuit Court. As part of his plea agreement, Coleman agreed to forfeit 65 firearms to the United States.
The prosecution of Coleman culminated from a joint investigation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies known as Mountaineer Highway.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Andrew J. Tessman handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
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Beckley Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced on federal drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Derrick Mitchell, 30, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Beckley/Raleigh County Drug Task Force.
“A deadly combination,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Mitchell was selling firearms in addition to trafficking powerful and dangerous drugs. With Mitchell off to federal prison, Raleigh County is no doubt a safer place to live.”
Previously, Mitchell admitted that on December 12, 2017, he sold what he believed to be heroin, but in fact turned out to be a mix of heroin and fentanyl, to a confidential informant working with the ATF. The drugs sold on that date were tested by the Drug Enforcement Administration and confirmed to contain heroin and fentanyl. Mitchell also admitted that on January 9, 2018, he sold two firearms, a Taurus, model PT111, Millennium G2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a German, model Makarov MP, 9 X 18mm caliber pistol, to a confidential informant who was again working with the ATF. This transaction was audio and video recorded. At the time Mitchell sold the firearms, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2015 drug-related felony conviction in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Mitchell further admitted to selling cocaine and “crack” cocaine on four other occasions. During one of those occasions, Mitchell also sold another firearm knowing that he was prohibited from possessing any firearms. On January 24, 2018, officers executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s residence and located additional firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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West Hamlin Man Pleads Guilty to Making High School Bomb Threat Through Snap ChatRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A West Hamlin man pled guilty to using Snap Chat to make a bomb threat directed at local high school, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. William Lee McCallister, also known as Kreekchub, 24, pled guilty to Threatening and Conveying False Information Concerning the Use of an Explosive Device.
“We don’t tolerate threats to our schools,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Hoax threats are serious federal crimes. They are not a joke. We take every single one seriously, will investigate them thoroughly and prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law. Hoax threats waste valuable law enforcement resources and disrupt school systems. Think before you post and, if you make a threat to our schools or public safety, you’ll be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
McCallister admitted that he made bomb threat directed at Lincoln County High School on Snap Chat stating he would plant a bomb at the high school via a four-wheeler trail behind the school with the intent to detonate the bomb on January 3, 2019.
McCallister faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 11, 2019.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
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Ohio Man Sentenced for Traveling to Meet a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan, Ohio man was sentenced to prison for a federal sex offense, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Donald E. Ward, 59, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Following his release from prison, Ward will serve a term of five years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence and will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Protecting West Virginia’s youth is a priority of my office,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “These are absolutely egregious crimes. I will continue to focus the efforts of my office to protect our children and other vulnerable populations. Predators who seek to take advantage of those that are weaker or vulnerable, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ward previously admitted that in January 2019 he began communicating via a social media application and text message with a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl in Parkersburg, West Virginia. On February 13, 2019, Ward traveled from Ohio to Parkersburg in order to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity, including oral sex. Only then did Ward discover that the minor was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
The West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Fayetteville Woman Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayetteville woman was sentenced to federal prison for heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficking, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jessical Lynn Hall, 29, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, along with quantities of heroin and fentanyl. Upon completing her prison sentence, Hall will serve an additional term of four years of supervised release.
“Hall and her boyfriend were serious drug dealers in Fayette County,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Hall is now off to serve a substantial federal prison sentence and her boyfriend will soon learn his fate.”
Hall previously admitted that she sold heroin and fentanyl to an informant on three occasions in January 2019 at her residence on Deepwater Mountain Road. On January 15, 2019, members of the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force executed a search warrant and seized 446 grams of methamphetamine, 89.95 grams of heroin, 90.82 grams of fentanyl and three handguns. Hall’s boyfriend, Jason Treadway, 37, pled guilty in June to distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of heroin and fentanyl. Treadway faces 5 to 40 years’ prison when he is sentenced on October 3, 2019.
The Central West Virginia Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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Detroit Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan, man was sentenced to federal prison for a federal drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Eddie Riago-Javone Bryant, 27, was sentenced to 43 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
“Bryant was selling drug mixtures containing heroin, fentanyl and PCP,” said United State Attorney Mike Stuart. “Drug dealers from Detroit have caused so much misery and despair throughout West Virginia communities. We’re taking our streets back and putting poison peddlers behind bars.”
According to public court hearings and Bryant’s plea agreement, Bryant sold drugs to a police undercover confidential informant in Charleston and Cross Lanes, West Virginia, on February 8, February 12, and February 14, 2018. Bryant sold drug mixtures containing heroin, fentanyl, and phencyclidine (PCP). On February 15, 2018, investigators arrested Bryant at the Cross Lanes Motel 6 and found that he was carrying around 25 grams of a heroin mixture, $688 in drug proceeds, and a digital scale.
After Bryant’s release from jail, he again sold a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to a confidential informant on April 18, 2018, in Charleston. Investigators arrested Bryant that day and executed a search warrant at the apartment where he was temporarily residing on West Washington Street. They recovered approximately 12 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture and found a .22 caliber revolver hidden in a cereal box in the kitchen cabinets.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), Charleston Police Department, West Virginia State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman handled the prosecution.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – A Charleston man pled guilty to a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Rahem Lipford, 36, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
“Heroin and firearms,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As long as law enforcement keeps finding drug dealers like Lipford, we’ll keep prosecuting them.”
Lipford admitted that on July 13, 2017, members of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), executed a search warrant at his residence and located 24.94 grams of heroin. Lipford admitted to possessing the heroin with the intention of distributing it. Detectives also seized a firearm, which was present inside the residence.
Lipford faces up to 30 years in prison when sentenced on December 10, 2019.
MDENT, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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United States Attorney Mike Stuart Issues Statement on Fayette County's HIDTA DesignationRead the Press Release
FAYETTE COUNTY WILL NOW BE PART OF THE APPALACHIA HIDTA (AHIDTA)
CHARLESTON, W.VA. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement about Fayette County’s designation as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP):
“West Virginia and the Southern District is once again the recipient of great news in the fight against drug peddlers. This is big news and Fayette County earned its HIDTA designation. I was happy to go to bat for Fayette County throughout the designation process, but it was Fayette County law enforcement that hit the ball out of the park. The law enforcement agencies working in Fayette County earned this designation through hard work, collaboration and leadership committed to a team approach. Operation Mountaineer Highway is a great example of collaborative, team oriented law enforcement in which agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the West Virginia National Guard, the Fayetteville Police Department, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Oak Hill Police Department, the National Park Service, the Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and many others, worked together, collaboratively and in close partnership, to dismantle a multi-state, poly-drug network operating from South Carolina to New Jersey. The ONDCP and the AHIDTA have provided enormous resources and support in our fight against drug dealers, drug thugs, and drug trafficking organizations that wrought devastation, despair, and death to our communities. It is an honor to work arm-in-arm with our partners in the Appalachia HIDTA. Congratulations Fayette County on your hard-earned designation.”
The ONDCP press release on new HIDTA county designations can be found here: https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/ondcp-designates-13-new-counties-curb-drug-trafficking/
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Sissonville Man Pleads Guilty to Escape from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Sissonville man pled guilty to escape, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Edward Lee Lewis, 51, pled guilty to escaping from Dismas Charites, a halfway house, in St. Albans, West Virginia.
“Escape attempts are a bad idea,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “U.S. Marshals will always find you. And then my office will prosecute you.”
Lewis admitted that on December 20, 2018, he was lawfully confined at Dismas Charities in St. Albans, West Virginia, at the direction of the Attorney General by virtue of a revocation of supervised release and judgment order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. On January 17, 2019, at approximately 4:50 p.m., Dismas staff were unable to locate Lewis and notified the United States Marshals Service. Lewis was given permission to leave Dismas earlier in the day to look for employment with instructions to return no later than 4:30 p.m., but he did not return as instructed. At the time Dismas staff were unable to locate him, Lewis did not have authority to be absent from the Dismas Charities facility. On January 22, 2019, a federal warrant was issued for Lewis’ arrest for escape. On July 19, 2019, Lewis was arrested by the United States Marshals Service the outstanding arrest warrant.
Lewis faces up to five years in prison when sentenced on December 5, 2019.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution.
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Huntington Woman Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman was sentenced on three counts of bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Kimberly Dawn Price, also known as Kimberly Dawn Swann, age 60, was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
“It’s simple. Price was a thief who stole from an employer that implicitly trusted her,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “And know she’s being held accountable.”
Price was employed as a staff accountant with a local accounting firm. Between 2009 and 2015, in the course of her employment, Price wrote and forged signatures on checks on at least three accounts belonging to the firm’s clients without authorization. Price deposited checks into her own bank account and used the money to pay gambling debts, as well as other expenditures.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. hearing.
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Former Prison Guard and Mother of Inmate Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Huttonsville Correctional Center guard and the mother of Huttonsville inmate pled guilty to drug trafficking offenses, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Mark Steven Taylor, 40, of Richwood, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Pamela Gail Adkins, 44, of Oak Hill, pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and heroin.
“An officer of the law gone bad. The actions of both Taylor and Adkins are incomprehensible,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “A corrections officer, who is supposed to uphold the law, takes money to act as a drug courier and a mother who is trying her best to distribute meth and heroin to her incarcerated son. Unbelievable. Despicable. And just plain wrong. We’re working hard with federal, state and local law enforcement to stop the flow of drugs into correctional facilities.”
Taylor admitted on February 26, 2019, while employed as a Corrections Officer at the Huttonsville Correctional Center, Adkins gave him quantities of methamphetamine and heroin to smuggle into the prison. He further admitted that she paid him $500, and that he had smuggled drugs into Huttonsville on one prior occasion. Adkins admitted giving Taylor the drugs and paying him to smuggle them into the prison where her son was incarcerated.
After being alerted to the scheme by Huttonsville Correctional Center Investigators, members of the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force arrested Adkins and Taylor at set up surveillance in Craigsville where they observed Adkins give Taylor the package containing methamphetamine and heroin.
Both Adkins and Taylor face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on January 13, 2020.
The Huttonsville Correctional Center and the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is handling the prosecution.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Robert Thomas (also known as Zombie), 33, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“It’s hard to imagine 989 grams of meth, but that’s what we have in this case. Firearms too,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “I am working with every possible partner and hitting hard at the drug dealers. They need to go. They are not welcome in West Virginia. We’re prosecuting gun-toting meth dealers like Thomas to get them off of our streets. And we’re trying to get them locked up for as long as possible.”
Thomas admitted that his home was searched, pursuant to a search warrant, on January 17, 2017. During the search of his residence, detectives seized what proved to be 989 grams of methamphetamine. Detectives also seized four firearms. Thomas possessed the firearms to protect himself and his drugs and he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to other drug dealers and addicts.
Thomas faces 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 13, 2020.
The Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) of the Charleston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
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United States Attorney Mike Stuart Issues Statement Regarding Allegations of Sexual Assault at the Beckley Veterans Affairs Medical CenterRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement regarding recent allegations of sexual assault at the Beckley Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC):
“My office has been made aware of the sexual assault allegations at the Beckley VAMC. My office takes these allegations very seriously and is working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to ensure this matter is investigated thoroughly and quickly.”
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Two Indicted for $4 Million Warranty Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging two people with nine counts of wire and mail fraud relating to a scheme to defraud a major car company of more than $4 million.
According to the indictment, Frank Russo, 68, of North Carolina, and Kevin Fluharty, 58, of West Virginia organized and participated in a scheme to misuse a car company’s warranty extension program that offered to repurchase certain defective trucks for 150% of their value, so long as those trucks were owned by individual customers rather than a dealership. Participants in the scheme bought the trucks at wholesale prices at auction through a car dealership in Kentucky. They then obtained hundreds of copies of Kentucky and West Virginia residents’ driver’s licenses, fraudulently titled the trucks in the name of those residents, and induced the car company to repurchase the trucks at 150% of value.
According to the indictment, the indicted defendants ran 350 trucks through the scheme between 2013 and 2015, causing approximately $4.3 million in losses to the car company.
“These allegations are very serious. The alleged fraud scheme caused over $4 million in losses,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “I appreciate the tremendous work of the investigators in this case that resulted in today’s indictment.”
If convicted, the two defendants each face up to 30 years in prison.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad is handling the prosecution.
The indictment can be found here.
Please note: An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican National Man Pleads Guilty to an Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national man pled guilty to the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jose Guadelaupe Camarena-Jacinto, 37, faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 dollar fine, three years of supervised release, a special assessment, and possible removal from the United States when he is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2019. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Ripley Police Department.
“Camarena-Jacinto had four prior removals,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “This revolving door is an unbelievable drain on critical law enforcement resources that are needed elsewhere. My office prosecutes every single reentry case.”
On June 17, 2019, Camarena-Jacinto was found in the South Central Regional Jail located in Charleston, West Virginia by members of ICE after he was arrested by Ripley police officers for the state offense of obstruction. ICE agents traveled to the jail to confirm his legal status. The defendant admitted to agents that he was in the United States illegally. Camarena-Jacinto was arrested and ICE agents matched his fingerprints to previous removals from the United States. ICE agents further spoke to the defendant to confirm his identity. Camarena-Jacinto again admitted being in the United States illegally. Camarena-Jacinto had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Fingerprinting matched Camarena-Jacinto to four prior removals from the United States in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012. His previous removals also included a prior conviction of illegal reentry into the United States from Federal Court in Kansas City, Missouri. In all four cases, Camarena-Jacinto was found by immigration judges to be in the United States illegally and he was deported to Mexico. He had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Camarena-Jacinto further admitted to ICE agents that he was a Mexican citizen.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.
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