Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Justin Scott Keyes, 36, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2024 and January 2025, Keyes conspired with another individual sell drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. As part of his guilty plea, Keyes admitted that he and his co-conspirator sold a total of 12.34 grams of fentanyl on four occasions during the time period, each time to a confidential informant. Keyes further admitted that he conducted the hand-to-hand sales at the Beckley residence where he lived with his co-conspirator, and that his co-conspirator communicated with the confidential informant about each sale beforehand.
On January 29, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Keyes’ residence and seized a Ruger model EC9s 9mm pistol and a Taurus model G3c 9mm pistol. Keyes admitted that the seized firearms belonged to him and that he had traded drugs for them.
Keyes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-73.
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Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Charleston Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Bernabe Montalvo Salas, 24, a Mexican citizen living illegally in Charleston, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Salas and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Salas in the South Charleston area. ICE agents confirmed that Salas was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States. Salas had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Salas was removed from the United States to Mexico on or about March 4, 2019, after being found at or near Roma, Texas, on March 1, 2019. Salas never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
ICE agents encountered two brothers of Salas living illegally in Charleston. Maximino Montalvo Salas, 20, was deported after pleading guilty on July 24, 2025, to the felony offense of knowingly possessing a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”). Federico Montalvo Salas, 22, pleaded guilty on July 1, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2025. ICE has an immigration detainer on Federico Montalvo Salas so he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-81.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ryan H. Guerrant, 34, of Beckley, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 26, 2023, Guerrant possessed a Bersa model BP9CC 9mm at a Beckley residence.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Guerrant knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and escape in Raleigh County Circuit Court on January 15, 2010, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited carrier in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 13, 2013, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 25, 2017.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-93.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Anthony Broadnax, 61, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to register as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), after moving from Virginia to West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about May 2021 through on or about July 26, 2021, Broadnax resided in Beckley, West Virginia, after relocating from Virginia. Broadnax failed to register in West Virginia or update his registration in Virginia as required by SORNA after his relocation. Broadnax is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his convictions for aggravated sexual battery on August 25, 1990, and rape on February 7, 1991, both in Prince William County, Virginia.
Broadnax has a criminal history that also includes a prior conviction for failure to register as a sex offender.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
“It is vitally important that sex offenders are tracked and communities are kept aware through the enforcement of these registration and notification requirements,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “Prosecuting SORNA violators is a top priority of this office and would not be possible without the outstanding investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and its coordination with other law enforcement agencies in these cases.”
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-226.
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Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Richard Charles Cart, 42, of Poca, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 28, 2025, Cart sold a Ruger model LCP .380-caliber pistol at a pawn shop in Charleston. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Cart knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for grand larceny in Kanawha Circuit Court on May 23, 2022, and for possession of methamphetamine in Jackson County, Georgia, Superior Court on August 8, 2019.
Cart is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-108.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy-Related FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Wayne Robert Rummel, 40, of Crown City, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to falsifying recorded information relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2023, Rummel filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. While the bankruptcy case was still pending, Rummel sought to obtain financing to purchase a 2022 Nissan Altima for $24,758.50. Rommel knew he needed the permission of the Bankruptcy Court or the United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia, to obtain a post-bankruptcy petition loan.
On February 26, 2025, Rummel emailed the lender a fake order from the Bankruptcy Court, which purported to provide approval for him to finance the vehicle purchase through the lender. As part of his guilty plea, Rommel admitted that he knew the Bankruptcy Court order was fake because he created it, and that neither the Court nor the United States Trustee had given him permission to obtain a loan with his bankruptcy case still pending.
Rummel is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-138.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – John Ladelle Puryear, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Puryear’s apartment in Huntington and seized approximately 299 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of fentanyl and 8 grams of crack, a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol, a Colt MK IV Series 80 .45-caliber pistol, a Ruger LCF .380-caliber pistol, digital scales and approximately $6,487. As part of his guilty plea, Puryear, admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances. Puryear further admitted that he possessed the seized firearms to protect the controlled substance and the proceeds from distributing them.
Puryear is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-125.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dyson Lamont Woody Jr., also known as “DC Sosa,” 33, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 17, 2021, Woody sold approximately 27.28 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $430. As part of his guilty plea, Woody admitted that he conducted that transaction, that he arranged it beforehand, and that it occurred in a Huntington motel room.
Woody is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-81.
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Chicago Man Sentenced for Role in Scheme to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with DroneRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno, 23, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation for conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2024, Aleman-Piceno traveled on foot with co-defendant Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez to the fence surrounding Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell. Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez possessed a backpack and a duffle bag containing a drone and two camouflaged packages containing four cell phones, chargers, phone cards, marijuana, and tobacco. As part of his guilty plea, Aleman-Piceno admitted that they intended to fly the packages onto the grounds of FCI McDowell using the drone and were stopped by law enforcement as they prepared to launch the drone.
Aleman-Piceno further admitted to traveling to McDowell County, West Virginia, from Chicago with Gonzalez and co-defendant Arturo Joel Gallegos, believing that he would be paid $3,000 to deliver the packages into the prison by drone. Aleman-Piceno also admitted that he and his two co-defendants stayed an area motel where law enforcement seized marijuana, tobacco and materials used to make the camouflaged packages.
Gonzalez, 24, of Chicago, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025, to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025. Gallegos, 26, of Chicago, pleaded guilty August 26, 2025, to conspiracy to introduce or attempt to introduce contraband into a federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-126.
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Two Kanawha County Residents Plead Guilty to Roles in Charleston Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Quanda Kiev Wilborne, also known as “Quan” and “Queso,” 29, of Charleston, and Taylor Faith Walke, 23, of St. Albans, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Wilborne and Walke participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wilborne obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirator Amanda Marie Mace and fentanyl from multiple sources and distributed both controlled substances in and around Charleston during the time period. As part of his plea agreement, Wilborne admitted that he obtained and re-distributed approximately 24 pounds of methamphetamine from Mace, also known as “A,” 42, of South Charleston.
Wilborne also admitted that on March 4, 2025, he sold a quarter pound of methamphetamine to co-conspirator Walke in exchange for $700 and that Walke had contacted him by phone beforehand seeking to purchase the methamphetamine for a third party. Law enforcement officers stopped Walke later that day and seized the methamphetamine.
Wilborne further admitted that he possessed a firearm in connection with the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and/or fentanyl on February 29, 2024, December 9, 2024, and January 15, 2025.
Wilborne and Walke are scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2025, and each faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
Wilborne, Walke, and Mace are among 12 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation, on charges alleging they participated in the DTO. The indictment against Mace and the remaining defendants is pending. 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.
Two additional defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. Steven Jamar Alexander, also known as “Dook,” 39, of Nitro, pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2025. Rafael Cee-Erwin Solomon, also known as “Rip,” 44, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025, to three counts of distribution of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-78.
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Greenbrier County Couple Plead Guilty to Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Today, Rajesh N. Patel, 51, of Ronceverte, pleaded guilty to knowingly transporting an illegal alien and his wife Avanibahen Patel, 44, pleaded guilty to unlawful employment of aliens.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2020 through at least September 2024, Aakash Prakash Makwana, 30, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, was employed at a Fairlea business owned and operated by the Patels. Makwana assisted with the daily running of the business during the time period. As part of their guilty pleas, the Patels each admitted that they agreed to hire Makwana knowing that he was living in the United States illegally after his immigration visa expired.
Rajesh N. Patel further admitted that he drove Makwana to and from work and other locations because Makwana did not own a vehicle. Rajesh N. Patel also admitted that he did not collect or pay over to the United States government any payroll taxes from Makwana’s gross pay, and paid Makwana’s rent and supplied him with groceries during most of the time Makwana was employed at the business.
Makwana pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to aggravated identity theft, admitting that he committed the offense as part of a scheme to marry a United States citizen to evade U.S. immigration laws. In or around August 2021, Makwana conspired with others to marry a U.S. citizen so he could apply for Lawful Permanent Residence status, also known as obtaining a Green Card. The marriage fraud scheme was not successful. Makwana is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025.
As part of his guilty plea, Rajesh N. Patel admitted that he knew of the marriage fraud conspiracy and aided and abetted it by making cash payments to Makwana’s co-conspirators. Kalee Ann Huff, 28, of Fairbury, Illinois, admitted to marrying Makwana as part of the conspiracy and was sentenced on June 12, 2025, to five years of federal probation for marriage fraud and perjury. Huff’s brother-in-law, Joseph Sanchez, admitted to helping to arrange the fake marriage and to pressuring Huff to take part. Sanchez, 33, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced to five years of federal probation on May 28, 2025, for participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy.
Rajesh N. Patel is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Avanibahen Patel is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of six months in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $3,000.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:25-cr-136 (Rajesh N. Patel) and 5:25-cr-137 (Avanibahen Patel).
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Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tiffany Dawn Shaffer, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 17, 2025, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Shaffer near St. Albans. Shaffer admitted that she possessed 2 pounds of methamphetamine in the back of the vehicle during the traffic stop.
At the time of this offense, Shaffer was serving a term of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 28, 2021. Shaffer has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for conspiracy to operate a clandestine drug laboratory and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Shaffer is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-144.
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Two Detroit Men Plead Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Eric Jaeshon Ray, also known as “Brody,” 31, and Franklin Fitzgerald Elly, also known as “Costco,” 36, both of Detroit, Michigan, each pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about May 2025 to in or about July 2025, Ray and Elly conspired together and with other individuals to distribute fentanyl in the St. Albans area of Kanawha County. On four separate occasions between May and June of 2025, Elly assisted Ray in distributing a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in St. Albans as part of the conspiracy.
Ray and Elly are scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025, and each faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-128.
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jeremy Dale Shuck, 47, of Coal City, pleaded guilty today to distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 16, 2024, Shuck sold approximately 13.92 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $200 in a service station parking lot in Beaver. Shuck admitted to the transaction as part of his guilty plea.
Shuck is scheduled to be sentenced on January 23, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell have prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-41.
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Florida Woman Sentenced for Stealing West Virginia Pension Funds over 15 YearsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Semiha Nilgun Gencsoy, 71, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $328,478.38 in restitution for possession of stolen money. Gencsoy admitted that over 15 years, she fraudulently received West Virginia public employee pension benefits totaling $328,478.38 that did not belong to her.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gencsoy’s father was a professor of mechanical engineering at West Virginia University. When he retired in June 1985, he qualified for and began receiving West Virginia public employee pension benefits. Gencsoy’s father died in June 2007, and her mother began receiving survivor benefits from the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board (WVCPRB) as his widow. The monthly payments were directly deposited into a join bank account that Gencsoy shared with her mother.
Gencsoy’s mother died in April 2008, and Gencsoy was appointed to administer her estate. As part of her guilty plea, Gencsoy admitted that she knew her father’s benefits expired upon the death of her mother. Gencsoy further admitted that she knew she had a duty both to notify the WVCPRB of her mother’s death and to close their joint banking account, and that she did neither. Gencsoy also never disclosed the pension payments to the probate court.
From approximately May 2008 through June 2023, the joint bank account received more than 180 monthly survivor’s benefit pension payments totaling $328,478.38 through direct deposit. Gencsoy admitted that she routinely transferred the survivor benefit pension payments to a bank account she solely controlled after each direct deposit and used the money to pay for her personal expenses.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board (WVCPRB) and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-75.
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Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Roger Lee Cousins, 50, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2024, Cousins sold approximately 14.66 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant in Beckley. As part of his guilty plea, Cousins admitted to the transaction, to also selling approximately 27.2 grams of fentanyl during the transaction, and to receiving a total of $3,140 for both controlled substances.
Cousins also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Cousins sold cocaine and fentanyl on October 21, 2024, cocaine on October 29, 2024, and fentanyl on December 6, 2024, each time to a confidential informant.
Cousins is scheduled to be sentenced on January 2, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell have prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-42.
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Two Men Sentenced and Third Man Pleads Guilty in Separate Schemes to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with DronesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, and Raymond Luis Saez Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida, were each sentenced today to three years of probation, including two months on home detention, for aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison. Arturo Joel Gallegos, 26, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to introduce or attempt to introduce contraband into a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2024, correctional officers at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell detected a drone flying over the prison facility. The flight path of the drone took it from the fence securing the prison facility to a cell in one of the housing units. Officers searched the cell and found a broken exterior window, numerous cell phones, tobacco, and marijuana within the cell. Officers traced the flight path back to the drone’s launch site, where they found and apprehended DeJesus, Aviles, and co-defendant Gamalier Rivera. Officers seized the drone, the drone’s remote controller, and contraband consistent with what was found in the cell.
Rivera, 34, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 27, 2025. to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison. Rivera, DeJesus and Aviles each admitted that they participated in the introduction of the contraband into FCI McDowell by using the drone to transport marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into the prison facility. All three further admitted that they expected to be paid for their participation in the contraband introduction. Rivera was sentenced on July 7, 2025, to three years of federal probation, including two months on home detention.
On February 1, 2024, Gallegos traveled to Welch, West Virginia, with two other Chicago men, co-defendants Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno and Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez. Later that day, law enforcement officers caught Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez with a drone and camouflaged packages containing tobacco, four cell phones, chargers, phone cards and marijuana next to the prison fence. Also that day, officers encountered Gallegos at a Welch motel where they seized packaging materials, tobacco, and marijuana.
As part of his guilty plea, Gallegos admitted that he conspired with Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez to fly the contraband onto the grounds of FCI McDowell, and that he expected to be paid for his participation in the conspiracy.
Gallegos is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,00 fine.
Aleman-Piceno, 23, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025, and Gonzalez, 24, pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025, each to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison. Aleman-Piceno is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025, and Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings and imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-127 (DeJesus and Aviles) and 1:24-cr-126 (Gallegos).
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Two Huntington Men Plead Guilty to Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Today, Anthony Jackson, also known as “Snake,” 59, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and Brian Lee Moore, also known as “Pooter,” 37, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 8, 2025, Jackson and Moore took part in the sale of approximately 3.28 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant located at a 10th Avenue apartment in Huntington. As part of their guilty pleas, Moore admitted that he provided the fentanyl to Jackson and Jackson admitted that he distributed it to the confidential informant.
As part of their guilty pleas, Jackson and Moore each admitted to additional criminal conduct. Jackson admitted that between January 11, 2024, and July 3, 2024, he distributed a total of 78.16 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on eight different occasions. Moore admitted to providing a total of 67.09 grams of fentanyl for six of those transactions.
On August 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the 10th Avenue apartment and seized approximately 338.34 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, the fentanyl analogue fluorofentanyl, heroin, and xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also known as “tranq.” Officers also seized approximately $1,130, a Taurus Model G2C 9mm pistol and a Springfield Model MDM pistol during the search. Jackson and Moore each admitted they were in the apartment during the search. Jackson admitted that he was at the apartment to receive fentanyl to distribute. Moore admitted that he was at the apartment to provide fentanyl for distribution and further admitted that he possessed the seized firearms and cash.
On August 9, 2025, officers executed a search warrant for a safe deposit box at a bank in Huntington and seized approximately $50,000. Moore admitted that he possessed the seized cash and that it was proceeds from drug distributions.
Jackson and Moore are scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025, and each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-156.
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Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Bluefield Federal BuildingRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Will Adrian Samuels, 48, of Jefferson, Texas, pleaded guilty today to destruction of government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 19, 2023, Samuels repeatedly threw objects at two glass exterior doors located at the front of the Elizabeth Kee Federal Building in Bluefield, causing more than $1,000 in damage.
Samuels is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the assistance provided by the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the Wytheville, Virginia, Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-195.
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Inmate Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Demetrius McKinney, 45, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison. Today’s prison sentence will run consecutive to the term McKinney is currently serving.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, McKinney was involved in an altercation while an inmate at FCI McDowell. After the altercation, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a search of McKinney and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his right front pants pocket. The shank was a piece of metal about six and a half inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and a cloth handle on the other end.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-31.
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Two Charleston Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston men were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area. One of the defendants was also sentenced for violating supervised release.
Kirt Ray King, 48, of Charleston, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and for committing a crime while on supervised release. John Wayne Harkless, 47, of Charleston, was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, King and Harkless conspired with others to participate in the DTO. Harkless sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on nine separate occasions during the time period. Investigators were able to confirm that Harkless was obtaining his methamphetamine from King.
Investigators determined that King was responsible for approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine and was supplying the controlled substance to several individuals including co-defendants in the DTO. At the time of this offense, King was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his December 3, 2004, convictions for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and money laundering. King was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release, to be served concurrently with the prison sentence of six years and six months.
Harkless has a criminal history that includes more than 23 convictions in four states. The investigation of the DTO determined that Harkless was responsible for almost 3 pounds of methamphetamine that he personally distributed.
King and Harkless are among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in the DTO conspiracy, and all four pleaded guilty. Anthony Michael Mowery, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on April 21, 2025 to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and violating supervised release. Michael Dale Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marcus Allen Johnson, also known as “Mook,” 40, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson sold approximately 53.76 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on January 14, 2025. The transaction occurred in the informant’s vehicle that was parked on 10th Avenue in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-96.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael David Enoch, 33, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 15, 2024, law enforcement officers encountered Enoch on a Parkersburg street and informed Enoch of an active warrant for his arrest. When Enoch reached for his waistband, officers stopped Enoch and recovered a Taurus model PT111 G2 9mm semiautomatic pistol that had been concealed in his waistband.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Enoch knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for wanton endangerment involving a firearm, escape, and receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle in Wood County Circuit Court on February 25, 2019.
Enoch has a criminal history that also includes multiple convictions for battery, domestic battery, fleeing from an officer, battery on a government representative, and violation of a protective order.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-26.
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Charleston Woman Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jasmine Spencer, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six months of home detention, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $15,625 in restitution for aiding and abetting bank fraud. Spencer admitted that she received $15,625 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, co-defendant Kisha Sutton conspired with Spencer and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans. Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Spencer’s behalf of May 27, 2021, listing Spencer as a sole proprietor hair stylist who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, stating that Spencer had earned $75,000 in 2020. As part of her guilty plea, Spencer admitted that she never earned $75,000 as a hair stylist in one year. Sutton further admitted that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with her application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in California approved Spencer’s loan application. The $15,625 in proceeds from the fraudulent loan was deposited in Spencer’s personal bank accounts on June 28, 2021. Between June 30 and July 9, 2021, Spencer transferred $3,000 of the fraudulent loan proceeds to Sutton using a digital wallet application. Spencer admitted that she spent the remainder of the fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Spencer and Sutton are among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. On July 15, 2025, Sutton was found guilty of aiding and abetting bank fraud and aiding and abetting laundering of monetary instruments by a federal jury following a two-day trial. Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2025. Powell and the three remaining co-defendants pleaded guilty.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-192.
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Cabell County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Henry Rogers, 66, of Barboursville, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Rogers on U.S. Route 19 in the Birch River area of Nicholas County. As part of his guilty plea, Rogers admitted that he possessed a controlled substance containing methamphetamine seized by officers during the traffic stop. Rogers further admitted that officers executed a search warrant of his vehicle following that seizure and found an additional quantity of methamphetamine and a .380-caliber pistol in the trunk. A total of 205.2 grams of methamphetamine was seized from the vehicle.
Rogers has a criminal history that includes a prior felony conviction for conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-80.
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Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ronald Robinson, 55, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2024, Robinson sold a quantity of a substance containing methamphetamine to an individual in Parkersburg. As part of his plea agreement, Robinson admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling a substance containing methamphetamine on two other occasions in October 2024, each time in Parkersburg.
On October 16, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a motel room where Robinson was staying and seized approximately 40.307 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine and approximately 7.368 grams of a substance containing a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Officers also seized $501 including recorded currency from the controlled buys.
At the time of this offense, Robinson was serving terms of supervised release as a result of his convictions on July 12, 2004, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form known as crack, and on March 28, 2017, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, both in United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Today’s sentence includes four years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force, the Police Department, and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer D. Gordon and Francesca C. Rollo prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-11.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Adrian Demetrius Ludaway, also known as “A1,” 35, of Wayne, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2025, Ludaway sold approximately 28.5 grams of methamphetamine and 6.79 gram of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Ludaway admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Ludaway is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-103.
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Federal Jury Convicts Detroit Man of Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Antonio Shelby Jr., 32, of Detroit, Michigan, today of possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at trial showed that on January 10, 2024, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Shelby in the Institute area of Kanawha County. The officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, asked Shelby to exit the vehicle, and told him that the vehicle would be searched. Shelby fled in the vehicle, driving at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on West Virginia Route 25 and Interstate 64 while trying to elude law enforcement.
The pursuit ended when Shelby crashed his vehicle while attempting to exit I-64 at South Charleston. Shelby was found climbing out of the vehicle and detained by officers. When officers lifted Shelby from the ground, they found a Keltec model P3 AT .380-caliber pistol, loaded and with a round in the chamber, on the ground underneath him. Officers also found a bag in the vehicle containing quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana, digital scales, and $2,495. A quantity of the seized methamphetamine was found packaged in 17 small individual baggies.
Shelby has a criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for fleeing from a police officer and reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function.
Shelby is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison.
“Shelby endangered the community by trafficking drugs while armed with a gun and also endangered both the public and law enforcement officers when he recklessly fled the traffic stop,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend the law enforcement officers who safely apprehended the defendant and those who investigated this case, and I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Jeremy B. Wolfe and our trial team for securing guilty verdicts on both counts in the indictment.”
The following law enforcement agencies were involved in apprehending Shelby, investigating the case, and securing the convictions at trial: the Nitro Police Department, the Dunbar Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-197.
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Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy D. Luckett, also known as “Fetty” and “Jack Boi,” 32, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 21, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Rotary Road residence in Huntington where they encountered Luckett. On a kitchen counter in the residence, officers found approximately 454 grams of methamphetamine on one digital scale, approximately 2.5 grams of fentanyl on a second digital scale, and approximately 50 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Under a dresser, officers found a loaded Ruger .45-caliber pistol, a loaded Sig Sauer Mosquito .22-caliber pistol, a Feather Industries .22-caliber rifle, and ammunition. Officers also found $7,278 in the residence and $380 on Luckett’s person during the search. As part of his guilty plea, Luckett admitted that he used the residence to store and conduct distributions of controlled substances, and that the seized cash was proceeds from his distribution of methamphetamine.
Luckett also admitted to additional criminal conduct. On November 8, 2023, Luckett sold approximately 7.6 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $800.
Luckett is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-105.
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Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leondus Whittenburg, 43, of Beckley, was sentenced today to seven years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 6, 2023, Whittenburg sold 320 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the parking lot of a Beckley business near Eisenhower Drive.
Whittenburg has a criminal history that includes multiple prior felony convictions including for drug trafficking in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Whittenburg is among four defendants who pleaded guilty in the case. Phillip Gray, 42, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and John Gray, 39, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and both are scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, 2025. Daemien Thompson, 39, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-31.
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West Virginia Business Owner Sentenced for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A West Virginia man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his willful failure to pay over employment taxes on behalf of his business.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Dean E. Dawson, of Hurricane, owned and operated Real Property Consulting Group LLC (RPC Group), a Hurricane, West Virginia, real estate appraisal business. Dawson was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from RPC Group’s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
Between 2015 and 2022, Dawson did not pay to the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks. He also used RPC Group’s business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including personal credit cards and his wife’s home mortgage. He also issued checks to his wife from RPC Group even though she was not an employee of the business. In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Dawson did not file personal tax returns or pay income taxes.
In total, Dawson caused a tax loss to the IRS of about $525,000.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers for the Southern District of West Virginia ordered Dawson to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $430,527.56 plus interest in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Caruso of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Storage for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecuted the case.
Putnam County Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dean E. Dawson, 65, of Hurricane, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $430,527.56 plus interest in restitution for his willful failure to pay over employment taxes on behalf of his business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dawson owned and operated Real Property Consulting Group LLC (RPC Group), a Hurricane real estate appraisal business. Dawson was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from RPC Group’s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
Between 2015 and 2022, Dawson did not pay to the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks. He also used RPC Group’s business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including personal credit cards and his wife’s home mortgage. Dawson also issued checks to his wife from RPC Group even though she was not an employee of the business. In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Dawson did not file personal tax returns or pay income taxes.
In total, Dawson caused a tax loss to the IRS of about $525,000.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Caruso of the Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-120.
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Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tanisha Wooding, 46, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money. Wooding fraudulently obtained $91,664 in COVID-19 loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for her personal use.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about July 26, 2020, through on or about June 10, 2021, Wooding knowingly defrauded and obtained money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program authorized by the CARES Act. Wooding applied for and received four PPP loans totaling $81,664, falsely claiming on each application that the loan was for a business to cover payroll and other allowable expenses. Wooding listed an insurance agency on two of the applications, a carpet cleaning business on the third and a tax service on the fourth. Wooding also applied for and received a $10,000 EIDL program loan, falsely claiming the money was for an insurance business where she employed 10 people.
As part of her guilty plea, Wooding admitted that she did not own or operate any such businesses and had no payroll or other eligible business expenses during that time. The proceeds from each fraudulently obtained loan were deposited in Wooding’s personal bank account in West Virginia. Wooding admitted that she made dozens of cash withdrawals and mobile payment and digital wallet service transfers to spend loan proceeds for personal use.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP relief loans available to adversely impacted eligible businesses and authorized the SBA to provide EIDL program loans to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption.
Wooding is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Wooding also owes $101,204.31 in restitution.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), , the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman is prosecuting the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-122.
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Ex-Law Firm Office Manager Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Todd M. Chapman, 57, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud. Chapman admitted that he embezzled at least $602,000 from a Huntington law firm while its officer manager, including funds from client trust accounts and proceeds from a Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Chapman was employed as the firm’s office manager for approximately 30 years until April 2022. During this time, Chapman was authorized to write checks from the firm’s bank accounts for legitimate business expenses.
From approximately 2016 through approximately 2022, Chapman personally enriched himself by writing unauthorized checks from the law firm’s accounts and client trust accounts to himself. As part of his guilty plea, Chapman admitted that he carried out his scheme by using the trust he gained from his 30-year tenure with the firm to obtain complete and exclusive control of its day-to-day finances. To conceal or disguise the embezzlement, Chapman funneled money he stole from clients through the firm’s operating accounts, forged signatures on checks, created false documents, made false statements under oath in civil lawsuits by former firm clients, and made false statements to federal law enforcement agents investigating the loss of client funds at the firm.
Chapman embezzled at least $409,000 from the estates of three deceased firm clients, $100,000 that one minor client was supposed to receive upon turning 18, and $15,838.84 of an initial $20,000 settlement deposit for another minor client who suffered an injury as an infant. Chapman also embezzled $13,686.21 from a $20,375 PPP loan that the firm legitimately received to provide emergency financial aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapman admitted that he spent the embezzled funds for his personal enjoyment and lifestyle.
Chapman is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Chapman also owes $602,000 in restitution.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Tessman, Erik S. Goes and Kathleen Robeson have prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-121.
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Two Fayette County Men Plead Guilty to Federal Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Lesley Scott Watkins, 50, and Jawuan Akil Watts, 31, both of Oak Hill, each pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2024, Watkins possessed an HS Product model XD-S .45-caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer model P220 45-caliber pistol in Fayette County. On July 6, 2024, Watts possessed a Heritage Manufacturing model Rough Rider .22-caliber revolver and a Colt model Peacemaker .22-caliber revolver in Fayette County.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Watkins knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 24, 2008. Watts knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Raleigh County Circuit Court on July 11, 2014.
Watts and Watkins are scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2025. Each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and D. Keith Randolph are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-92 (Watkins) and 2:25-cr-93 (Watts).
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Mexican Citizen Living Illegally in Charleston Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Julio Cesar Ruiz-Perez, 21, a citizen of Mexico living illegally in Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of a counterfeit Social Security card with the intent to defraud the United States and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Ruiz-Perez so he can be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 11, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Charleston residence and encountered Ruiz-Perez. ICE agents confirmed that Ruiz-Perez is a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally. Officers found a counterfeit Social Security card in his name during the search. Ruiz-Perez has no legal identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Ruiz-Perez possessed the fake Social Security card to verify fraudulently that he is eligible to work in the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-86.
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Huntington Man Sentenced for Role in COVID-19 Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Powell, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six months on home detention, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $15,625 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Powell admitted that he received $15,625 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, co-defendant Kisha Sutton conspired with Powell and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans. Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Powell’s behalf on April 19, 2021, listing Powell as a sole proprietor hair stylist who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, stating that Powell had earned $75,000 in 2020. As part of his guilty plea, Powell admitted that he never earned $75,000 as a hair stylist in one year. Powell further admitted that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with his application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in Florida approved Powell’s loan application. The $15,625 in proceeds from the fraudulent loan was deposited in Powell’s personal bank account on June 29 2021. Between July 6 and July 20, 2021, Powell transferred $2,000 to Sutton from the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds using a digital wallet application. Powell admitted that he spent the remainder of the fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Powell and Sutton among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was found guilty on July 15, 2025, of aiding and abetting bank fraud and aiding and abetting laundering of monetary instruments by a federal jury following a two-day trial. Sutton is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2025. The three remaining co-defendants pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-192.
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Putnam County Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Lomax, 34, of Hurricane, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $13,312 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Lomax admitted that he fraudulently obtained $13,312 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 24, 2020, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomax applied for unemployment compensation after he was laid off as a sales manager at a St. Albans auto dealership. Lomax legitimately received unemployment benefits until the week ending April 25, 2020, when he returned to work, but continued to apply for unemployment benefits through at least July 18, 2020. As part of his guilty plea, Lomax admitted that he falsely certified to WorkForce West Virginia, which administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia, for 13 consecutive weeks that he was entitled to unemployment benefits. Lomax submitted the false certification answers while using his personal electronic device in St. Albans.
Lomax fraudulently obtained approximately $13,312 in unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Lomax admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits to make purchases and pay his bills.
Two of Lomax’s co-workers, his father Gary Lomax, 63, of Hurricane, and Christopher Grant, 42, of Buckhannon, previously pleaded guilty to similar pandemic-related unemployment compensation fraud schemes. Gary Lomax was sentenced on November 19, 2024, to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $29,592 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Grant was sentenced on November 25, 2024, to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $35,168 in restitution for conspiracy to steal public money, property or records.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman and former Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-57.
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Kanawha County Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Krista Marie Menchaca, 32, of Cross Lanes, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $21,963.96 in restitution for receipt of stolen money. Menchaca received $19,395 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 12, 2021, an individual submitted a PPP loan application on Menchaca’s behalf to a program lender in Arizona. As part of her guilty plea, Menchaca admitted that the application and an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, filed with it falsely represented that Menchaca was a self-employed health practitioner who received $93,100 in gross income during 2000. Menchaca further admitted that the IRS Form 1040 was fake and created solely to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan.
The lender approved the fraudulent loan application and $19,395 was deposited in Menchaca’s personal bank account on or about July 2, 2021. While in West Virginia, Menchaca spent more than $5,000 of the PPP loan proceeds on her personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-68.
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Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremiah Clinton Gray, 43, of Blue Ridge, Georgia, was sentenced today to one year and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 22, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of a man inside a Jackson County, Ohio, business with a firearm, body armor and a badge. The individual, later identified as Gray, left the business in a vehicle without a license plate and fled from an attempted traffic stop by law enforcement. The resulting pursuit led law enforcement into West Virginia, where the vehicle was stopped in Charleston with the assistance of spike strips. Gray was arrested and officers found a loaded Taurus model 1911 Officer 9mm pistol on his person and a loaded Mossberg model 590 Shockwave .410-gauge shotgun in the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on October 20, 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-35.
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Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Marcas Cory Anglin, 30, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 2, 2020, Anglin was driving a vehicle on U.S. Route 19 in Fayette County, West Virginia, when law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop in response to reports of a vehicle driving erratically. Anglin fled from officers in his vehicle, leading them on a chase through Fayette County and into Nicholas County where he wrecked the vehicle. Anglin then fled on foot and was apprehended in a barn in the Pool area. Officers seized a loaded Glock model 27 .40-caliber pistol, which they determined was reported stolen, when they arrested Anglin.
Anglin fled from officers while being transported for processing following his arrest but was recaptured. Officers found Anglin was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant issued in Florida.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Anglin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for armed burglary of a dwelling in Hillsborough County, Florida, Circuit Court on June 19, 2014.
Anglin has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and grand theft of a firearm.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-153.
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Mexican National Living Illegally in the United States Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 31, a Mexican national living illegally in the United States, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024 until in or around about October 2024, Villa-Chairez conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez admitted that he assisted the conspiracy by shipping methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere.
In July 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped two separate packages containing a total of 1.97 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” from Houston, Texas, to a customer in West Virginia after receiving instructions from a co-conspirator. On or about July 18, 2024, Villa-Chairez picked up a package containing $4,800 sent by the customer, notified a co-conspirator that he had obtained the package, and re-shipped it to Washington state.
In August 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped a package containing approximately 963.8 grams of methamphetamine to Alabama. In October 2024, Villa-Chairez assisted a co-conspirator who was delivering approximately 5.905 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” and approximately 4.402 kilograms of methamphetamine by vehicle to West Virginia by providing him with directions to a hotel and a casino in Kanawha County.
As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez also admitted that he has lived illegally in the United States under the name “Jose Jesus Villa-Chairez” and has been convicted of two federal felony offenses under that name.
Villa-Chairez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Villa-Chairez and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings upon the completion of any sentence.
Villa-Chairez and two other Mexican nationals living illegally in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. Co-defendant Silvester Barcenas, 23, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025. Co-defendant German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41, remains a fugitive. 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.
Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine as a result of the joint investigation and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Khali Marquise Barnes, 26, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a home compliance check at Barnes’ residence in Huntington and located a loaded Glock 19 9mm handgun in Barnes’ bed. Barnes admitted to possessing the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Barnes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on August 10, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-61.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Lee Taylor, 44, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and for violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 19, 2025, law enforcement officers obtained consent to search a Huntington residence and found approximately 104 grams of heroin, three digital scales, and plastic bags for packaging the heroin in a storage tote on the back deck of the residence. As part of his guilty plea, Taylor admitted that he possessed the seized heroin and that he intended to distribute it. Taylor further admitted to selling approximately 7 grams of heroin to a confidential informant for $491 on the back deck of the Huntington residence the day before the search.
Officers executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence in Huntington on March 19, 2025, and seized approximately $8,661. Taylor admitted that the seized cash was proceeds from the distribution of heroin.
At the time of this offense, Taylor was on supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 1, 2023. Today’s sentence includes eight months for committing a crime while on supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-74.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Craig Hatfield, also known as “Bobby,” 48, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to carrying a firearm during and in relation to the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Hatfield sold a SCCY 9mm pistol and approximately 4.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $340. Hatfield admitted to conducting the transaction, which occurred at his Huntington residence, and to arranging it beforehand.
Hatfield is scheduled to be sentenced on November 24, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-45.
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Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jaron Andrew O'Neal, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators obtained a search warrant for a package addressed to a Barboursville address after a K9 alerted to the package. Investigators opened the package and found it contained approximately 1 kilogram of fentanyl. Investigators replaced the fentanyl with a sham substance and conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the Barboursville address. On January 24, 2023, O'Neal retrieved the package from the address and drove away with it in his vehicle. Investigators conducted a traffic stop of O’Neal’s vehicle and found the package in the vehicle. O’Neal told investigators that he retrieved the package believing that it contained controlled substances.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-85.
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Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Eugene Ginther, 42, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, Ginther possessed approximately 98.58 grams of methamphetamine in the Charleston area. Ginther admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine.
At the time of this offense, Ginther was serving a term of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 2, 2018.
Ginther is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Marshals Service.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-33.
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Parkersburg Man Pays Restitution and Fine for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – John Robert Coe, 66, of Parkersburg, paid $54,740 in restitution and a $500 fine for continuing to employ a known illegal alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from early 2011 until May 12, 2021, a foreign national from Madagascar worked without monetary compensation at the business that Coe co-owned with Frederick Sayre Anderson. Coe admitted that, at some point in 2011, he learned the foreign national’s presence in the United States was unlawful. Coe further admitted that the foreign national continued to work at the business until May 12, 2021, despite her illegal immigration status.
The foreign national was also housed at the business, sleeping in an office converted into a bedroom. The business is a laboratory that provides water quality testing kits to state and local governments across the country. Coe admitted that the foreign national performed work for the business including shipping supplies to customers, receiving customer service calls, and handling the company’s accounts receivable.
Coe further admitted that he also had the foreign national perform side jobs for him during this time period. These side jobs included cleaning his residence and editing history book manuscripts that he was preparing for publication. Coe compensated the foreign national in cash for these side jobs.
On May 7, 2021, Coe learned from Anderson that federal immigration agents were at the business and searching for the foreign national. Coe admitted that Anderson suggested later that day that they move the foreign national into Coe’s residence. Coe further admitted that he did not want the foreign national moving into his residence. They discussed moving the foreign national into a motel before agreeing that the foreign national should remain at the business. On May 12, 2021, the foreign national permanently left the business with the assistance of federal authorities.
Anderson, 65, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty on January 4, 2024, to concealing, harboring, and shielding an alien from detection. Anderson admitted that the foreign national entered the United States on a 90-day fiancée K-1 nonimmigrant visa that he obtained. Anderson further admitted that he knew the visa required him to marry the foreign national within 90 days, that he never married her, and that he knew her presence in the United States became unlawful once her K-1 visa expired on April 8, 2011. Anderson was sentenced on May 13, 2025, to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the Parkersburg Police Department.
Coe paid the $500 fine on August 7, 2025, and the $54,740 in restitution on March 17, 2025, after pleading guilty on January 22, 2025. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-178.
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Putnam County Veterinarian Ordered to Pay $956,709 in Civil PenaltiesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia secured a $956,709 default judgment against Clara Ann Mason, a Putnam County veterinarian, after she was unable to account for 9,796 dosage units of oxycodone HCL, hydrocodone/acetaminophen and other controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers ordered Mason, 64, of Winfield, to pay the maximum civil penalties. The Court found that Mason ordered thousands of doses of opioids and other drugs, failed to keep these drugs secured, failed to keep track of these drugs, and apparently fabricated records to cover her failures.
According to court documents, between March 8, 2018, and July 10, 2023, Mason ordered 14,200 dosage units of hydrocodone/acetaminophen at 10/325 milligrams each, 800 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 10 milligrams each, and 600 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 5 milligrams each from a veterinary pharmaceutical wholesale supplier. At the time, Mason was licensed under the laws of West Virginia to practice veterinary medicine and was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a practitioner authorized to dispense controlled substances to the extent permitted by federal law.
For the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, Mason ordered substantially more hydrocodone/acetaminophen from the supplier than any other individual customer. Between January 2021 and January 2023, Mason’s oxycodone HCL orders accounted for 74 percent of all oxycodone HCL dosage units sold by the supplier.
On October 11, 2023, investigators executed an administrative inspection warrant at the address Mason registered with DEA in Winfield and found controlled substances unsecured in numerous locations throughout the property. During the execution of the warrant, Mason was unable to produce any records of dispensing scheduled medications, the required DEA forms recording her purchases of controlled substances, or inventory records also required by federal law. Mason voluntarily surrendered her DEA registration number during the execution of the warrant.
Investigators took possession of all controlled substances found during the execution of the warrant and determined that at least 6,593 dosage units of hydrocodone and oxycodone were unaccounted for along with other controlled substances. In the days and weeks following the execution of the warrant, Mason provided purported records alleging she dispensed large quantities of opioids to dogs and cats prior to euthanasia. Investigators believe these documents were largely fabricated. Investigators also interviewed several pet owners, and none said they witnessed Mason administering oral medications to their pets.
“The Court concluded that Dr. Mason jeopardized the safety of the community, which has been severely harmed by the opioid epidemic, by failing to properly secure and track these drugs,” Johnston said. “The Court assessed the maximum penalties in this case. This outcome is the result of the excellent work by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), our office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil.”
“DEA registrants are responsible for handling controlled substances responsibly and ensuring complete and accurate records are being maintained in compliance with the Controlled Substance Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “Failure to comply with controlled substance regulations puts our communities in grave danger, and any registrant who fails to meet these standards will be held accountable.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:35-cv-175.
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United States Attorney's Office to Participate in Community Event During National Night OutRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today. During this year’s National Night Out, the office will participate in the community event scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Orchard Manor in Charleston.
Additional National Night Out events are scheduled throughout the Southern District of West Virginia, including in Beckley, Dunbar, Huntington, Parkersburg, and Ravenswood.
“National Night Out is a great way to connect with the communities we serve,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “We make our streets safer when we build trust, strengthen relationships, and foster cooperation.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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