Southern District of West Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mexican national sentenced to prison for Federal methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national residing in Boone County was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for a federal drug crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Leonel Vivian Castellanos, 28, previously pleaded guilty in November 2015 to distribution of methamphetamine.
Castellanos admitted that between May 12 and May 19, 2015, he distributed approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine to informants in Kanawha and Boone counties. On May 21, 2015, Castellanos was found in possession of another 50 grams of methamphetamine at his residence in Boone County. That same day, approximately 500 grams of additional methamphetamine that Castellanos admitted to distributing was seized during the execution of a search warrant in Kanawha County.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, Homeland Security Investigations, the Kanawha Bureau of Investigation, and the South Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr, imposed the sentence.
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Charleston felon sentenced to Federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to three years and ten months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Derrick Lamb, 24, previously pleaded guilty in January 2016 to the federal gun crime.
Lamb admitted that on April 13, 2015, law enforcement arrested him and found him in possession of a Taurus .38 caliber revolver. Lamb is prohibited from possessing any firearm because of a 2012 felony conviction in Kanawha County Circuit Court for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Charleston doctor pleads guilty to Federal crime involving dispensing fentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston doctor pleaded guilty today to a federal crime involving the illegal dispensing of fentanyl. Dr. Iraj Derakhshan, 72, entered his guilty plea to violating reporting requirements mandated by federal drug laws for dispensing controlled substances.
Dr. Derakhshan admitted that on June 18, 2015, he obtained fentanyl from one of his patients. The patient acquired the fentanyl from a prescription written by Dr. Derakhshan, and was returning the unused portion of the prescription to Dr. Derakhshan because the patient had an adverse reaction to the drug. On the same day, Dr. Derakhshan admitted to illegally dispensing the unused fentanyl to a different patient. He also admitted that he was never authorized to dispense controlled substances. Dr. Derakhshan further admitted to knowingly and intentionally failing to report and maintain a record of this dispensing of fentanyl as required by federal law. The dispensing was also unlawful because it was not done by authorized prescription and was not presented to a pharmacy to be filled. One of the reasons for these requirements is so that prescription drugs can be properly traced and recorded by the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy.
Dr. Derakhshan faces up to four years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on July 8, 2016. As part of the plea agreement, Dr. Derakhshan will permanently surrender his DEA Certificate of Registration and not oppose revocation of his registration to dispense controlled substances. Dr. Derakhshan agreed that one of the grounds for the revocation is being convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance.
The investigation of Dr. Derakhshan was conducted by the DEA. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Charleston dealers sentenced to Federal prison for drug crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston men were sentenced today to federal prison for drug crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Leon Wilson, Jr., 43, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in federal prison for distribution of heroin. In a separate prosecution, Anton R. Courts, 40, was sentenced to a year and three months in federal prison for distribution of crack and heroin.
Wilson admitted that in May 2015, he sold heroin on three separate occasions to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deals took place at Wilson’s Charleston apartment. After these drug deals, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Wilson’s apartment. Officers found over $1,000 cash in Wilson’s possession, which included some of the pre-recorded buy money used in one of the drug deals with the confidential informant.
In a separate drug prosecution, Courts admitted that in April 2015, law enforcement made four controlled purchases of heroin and crack from Courts on the East End of Charleston. On April 22, 2015, detectives arrested Courts after a brief foot chase and found him to be in possession of $1,850 in cash, including $400 in bills used in the controlled purchases. In addition to his prison sentence, Courts was ordered to sell his 2014 Chevrolet Camaro in order to pay a fine of $10,000. Courts admitted paying $28,000 cash for the Camaro in November 2014 while unemployed. This is the second time Courts has been sentenced to federal prison. In May 2006, Courts was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in federal prison following his guilty plea to distribution of crack. His sentenced was later reduced to five years and three months based upon changes to federal sentencing guidelines.
The investigation of Wilson was conducted by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff’s Tactical Operations Patrol Team. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess was in charge of Wilson’s prosecution. The Charleston Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit conducted the investigation of Courts. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail handled the prosecution of Courts. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentences.
These cases were prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and other drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Federal jury finds Kentucky veteran guilty of defrauding the Veterans Health AdministrationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto announced that a federal jury sitting in Huntington returned a guilty verdict yesterday in the trial of a Kentucky veteran for defrauding the Veterans Health Administration. Phillip M. Henderson, 50, of Olive Hill, Kentucky, was convicted following a five-day jury trial. The jury required only an hour of deliberations before finding Henderson guilty.
Henderson served in the United States Army from 1983 to 1986. After he was discharged, Henderson filed multiple claims for benefits with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In 1995, Henderson received a diagnosis from the VA of Retinitis Pigmentosa, an inherited and degenerative eye disease which can lead to total blindness. After this diagnosis, Henderson continued to undergo VA eye examinations through 2013, during which time VA medical staff continued to conduct tests to determine the extent of his vision loss. The results of these tests relied significantly, if not completely, on Henderson’s cooperation and accurate reporting of his vision levels.
Witnesses for the United States, including four medical doctors, testified that Henderson falsely responded to the vision testing and significantly misrepresented his vision loss. Witnesses further testified that Henderson pretended he could barely read the letters on the eye charts and pretended that his peripheral vision was severely reduced. As part of his scheme to defraud the VA, Henderson did not reveal that he had a Kentucky driver’s license and that he could and did drive.
Henderson received the maximum disability and healthcare benefits he could get for his claimed disability and vision loss. VA benefits representatives testified that from 1996 to 2015, Henderson received approximately $697,000 in disability compensation. In addition to this monthly monetary compensation, Henderson also received an $11,000 grant to purchase an automobile in 2006, which was intended for another person to drive Henderson, and another $10,000 grant towards the installation of an in-ground swimming pool, which was intended for his exercise and to maintain his well-being as a blind veteran. Further, Henderson received the maximum healthcare benefits possible for him and his family based upon his claimed diagnosis and vision loss. During the same time period, Henderson received the highest priority in getting medical treatment from the VA, free medical and dental services, free prescriptions, reimbursement for travel from his home in Kentucky to the VA Medical Center in Huntington for medical appointments, free training for the blind in Connecticut and Alabama for extended periods of time, and free equipment designed to assist the blind, such as canes, computers, talking telephones, and night vision goggles. In sum, Henderson received over $75,000 in VA healthcare benefits to which he was not entitled.
Henderson faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to twice the gain or loss that resulted from his conduct, and an order of restitution when he is sentenced on August 1, 2016.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, Pittsburgh Resident Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Eumi Choi and Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution and tried the case before a federal jury. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the trial.
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Boone County felon sentenced to Federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Boone County man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for a gun crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Blain Salmons, Jr., 40, of Alum Creek, previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Salmons admitted that on October 29, 2015, he was arrested by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. At the time of his arrest, it was determined that Salmons had been hunting out of season and he was found to be in possession of a Glenfield Model 30A, .30-30 rifle. Salmons was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of felony convictions from 1997 in Kanawha County Circuit Court for kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Charleston felon pleads guilty to Federal gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Fitzgerald Ingram, 24, entered his guilty plea to illegally possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
Ingram admitted that on July 29, 2015, he was apprehended by law enforcement after firing a rifle into a dumpster in the 6th Avenue area of Charleston. Ingram is prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of several previous felony convictions in North Carolina Circuit Court, including taking indecent liberties with a child, failure to register as a sex offender, and assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury.
Ingram faces up to ten years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 25, 2016.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Charleston drug dealer pleads guilty to Federal heroin crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston heroin dealer pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Joshua Walls, 22, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin.
Walls admitted that on March 19, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the Charleston Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit. The drug deal took place outside the defendant’s Fairview Drive residence in Charleston.
Walls faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 15, 2016.
The Charleston Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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South Charleston woman sentenced to Federal prison for methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston woman was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for a methamphetamine crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Jonda Grandoni, 52, previously pleaded guilty in January 2016 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Grandoni admitted that on October 12, 2012, she arranged to have a package containing methamphetamine shipped via FedEx to an individual who would then deliver the package to Grandoni for distribution. Law enforcement intercepted the package before it was delivered and found that it contained 11.5 grams of methamphetamine. Officers then set up a controlled delivery of the package to Grandoni, who accepted the package and was arrested. In addition to the methamphetamine recovered on October 12, 2012, Grandoni admitted that she was responsible for the distribution of over 520 grams of additional methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and other drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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St. Albans man pleads guilty to Federal gun crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man pleaded guilty today to two federal gun crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Christopher Ayash, 47, entered his guilty plea to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and to possession of six firearms in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime.
Ayash admitted that he arranged for the illegal shipment of drugs, including oxycodone and coca leaves, a precursor used to manufacture cocaine, through the mail to West Virginia. On October 7, 2015, a federal search warrant was executed at Ayash’s St. Albans residence and law enforcement discovered a secret room hidden behind a fireplace. The secret room housed a laboratory set up by Ayash to manufacture cocaine and other controlled substances. Law enforcement seized over 60 firearms from the residence, including fully automatic weapons, silencers, and a handgun with an obliterated serial number. Ayash admitted that he possessed six of the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. As part of his plea, Ayash agreed to forfeit $300,000 to the United States. He also agreed to demolish a strip club he owned in St. Albans and to transfer the property to Kanawha County.
When he is sentenced on July 11, 2016, Ayash faces up to five years in prison for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and at least five years and up to life in prison for the other gun crime.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of several other law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime. This case was also prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and other drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Hurricane man pleads guilty to Federal arson and witness tampering crimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Hurricane man pleaded guilty today to a federal arson crime and a federal witness tampering crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Jimmie Arnold Harper, Jr., 36, entered his guilty plea to aiding and abetting arson and conspiracy to tamper with a witness.
Harper was a Nationwide Mutual Insurance agent with an office in Winfield. Harper admitted that on September 14, 2015, he arranged for a fire to be set at his own residence at 7 Stonegate Drive in Scott Depot. Harper planned for the use of a long range remote firing system to ignite the fire. He placed a chair with a tire in it in an interior room of his residence with the intent for that area to be the ignition spot of the fire. After staging the area, the drywall was knocked out of the wall so that the fire would spread further into the framing of the house. Prior to setting the fire, Harper moved his valuables, such as furnishings and personal items, out of the residence and into a storage unit in the Winfield area. He also arranged to be out of town so the residence would be empty. Another individual drove by the residence in the early morning hours and hit the button on the remote firing system to ignite the fire. The Teays Valley Fire Department was dispatched to the residence and one firefighter fell through the floor in the kitchen and sustained minor burns to his lower extremities. On September 15, 2015, Harper called in a fire claim to his insurance company, Auto Club Insurance Association, for $624,200 in structural damage and $468,150 in personal property loss.
On December 23, 2015, Seth T. Radcliffe, a longtime friend of Harper, was facing kidnapping charges. Harper admitted that on January 24, 2016, he met with witnesses in Radcliffe’s case in an attempt to influence testimony before a federal grand jury. Before the meeting, Harper spoke to Radcliffe about the plan and obtained a letter written by Radcliffe that was read aloud during the meeting. The meeting took place in Harper’s vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store in MacArthur in Raleigh County. During the meeting with the witnesses, Harper emphasized that the kidnapping charges against Radcliffe needed to go away because of the severe penalties. Harper also suggested limiting answers that could be damaging to Radcliffe by responding with “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember.” Harper admitted that he knew Radcliffe’s letter was not factually correct and was intended to corruptly influence witness testimony. Unbeknownst to Harper, the passenger in the vehicle during the meeting was acting as a confidential informant for law enforcement and recorded the entire meeting.
On January 26, 2016, a federal grand jury sitting in Beckley returned an indictment against Seth T. Radcliffe for one count of kidnapping and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On February 9, 2016, a grand jury subpoena was served on Harper for the letter written by Radcliffe. On January 24, 2016, prior to the meeting with the witnesses in Radcliffe’s case, Harper directed the confidential informant to remove the last page of the letter. This page contained twelve numbered paragraphs written by Radcliffe setting forth points Radcliffe wanted to make to defeat the charges. After receiving the grand jury subpoena, Harper instructed the confidential informant to throw the last page of the letter out of his car window along Interstate 77. Law enforcement recovered this page of the letter on February 9, 2016, from Interstate 77.
Harper faces at least 7 years and up to 60 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on August 10, 2016.
The West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office, the West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the FBI, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
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Multiple defendants headed to prison for Federal heroin crimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Three defendants were sentenced to federal prison today for heroin crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Eddie William Randall, 36, of Detroit, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Krishauna Deshay Brown, 37, of Huntington, was sentenced to a year and three months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin. In a separate drug prosecution, Terrance Donte Hensley, 20, of Huntington, was sentenced to three years and a month in federal prison for distribution of heroin.
From December 2014 until their arrests in 2015, Randall, Brown, and others conspired to distribute heroin that was transported from Detroit to the Huntington area. Brown resided at 209 West 9th Avenue in Huntington, and she allowed Randall to store and distribute heroin from her residence. On February 26, 2015, officers with the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and seized heroin, along with other paraphernalia used to sell heroin. Brown admitted that she possessed the heroin at her residence and intended to distribute it.
On June 25, 2015, officers executed search warrants at 2736 Rear 4th Avenue and 1128 25th Street in Huntington. Officers utilized a confidential informant to make several controlled purchases of heroin from Randall in and around those residences leading up to the search. Officers located Randall inside the 4th Avenue residence and seized approximately 40 grams of heroin, a loaded 9mm pistol, and $13,030 in cash. During the search of the 25th Street residence, officers seized approximately 280 grams of heroin and a loaded .45 caliber pistol. Randall admitted that he possessed the heroin from both residences for distribution and that he possessed the pistols in an effort to protect himself from theft or robbery of heroin or cash.
As the result of a separate drug investigation, Terrance Donte Hensley admitted that on five occasions between June 26 and July 9, 2015, he distributed heroin at various locations in Hurricane and Huntington to a confidential informant working with law enforcement.
The investigation of Brown and Randall was conducted by the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department, and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is responsible for the prosecutions of Brown and Randall. The investigation of Hensley was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, the Huntington Police Department, and the DEA Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution of Hensley. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
These cases are part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Jamaican national pleads guilty to identity theftRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Jamaican national pleaded guilty today to identity theft, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Roland Jason Duckett, 31, admitted that he used another person’s identity in a fraudulent attempt to obtain a United States passport.
Duckett admitted that he entered the United States from Jamaica in 2007 and then remained in the United States after his visa expired. In August 2015, he paid another individual for the use of identification documents, including that person’s birth certificate and Social Security card. Duckett used these documents to obtain a West Virginia driver’s license in the other individual’s name. Duckett admitted that in November 2015 he mailed a passport application from Charleston in an attempt to obtain a United States passport. His passport application was flagged for fraud by the United States Department of State and Duckett never received a U.S. passport. Agents with the Diplomatic Security Service of the United States Department of State uncovered the fraud and determined Duckett’s true identity.
Duckett faces up to five years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 8, 2016.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, with the assistance of the West Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Blaire L. Malkin is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
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Crime victim advocates honor Huntington Police Chief Joe Ciccarelli as part of National Crime Victims' Rights WeekRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, along with federal, state and local advocates of crime victims’ rights, presented the 2016 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Award today to Huntington Police Chief Joe Ciccarelli. The presentation took place at an opening ceremony held in Charleston at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse as part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The purpose of the ceremony was to honor the service of Chief Ciccarelli and to raise awareness about the rights, protections, and services available to crime victims in West Virginia.
Throughout his distinguished public service career, Chief Ciccarelli has worked tirelessly on behalf of crime victims and their families. His dedication has led to significant improvements in how the criminal justice system handles crime victims’ services. His service has had a lasting impact on crime victims’ rights, and the programs he has established to carry on this work reflect his extraordinary advocacy.
Ciccarelli began working with crime victims almost 40 years ago, in October 1977, when he started his career with the Huntington Police Department as a Community Service Officer and Emergency Medical Technician. He was appointed to be a police officer the following year and worked in the Patrol Bureau and Special Investigations Bureau before his appointment as a Special Agent in the FBI in 1984. His 30-year FBI career began with assignments in the St. Louis and Miami areas, and then continued with a return to Huntington in 1998 as the head of the FBI’s Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. In Huntington, Ciccarelli served as the Senior Resident Agent, the Supervisory Senior Resident Agent for Southern West Virginia, and the Team Leader for the FBI’s Northeast Region Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team. While at the FBI, Ciccarelli helped establish the Special Agents Steering Committee and, most significant, the FBI’s Victim Assistance Program. After retiring from the FBI in 2014, he became an investigator for the West Virginia Supreme Court and, later that same year, was appointed Chief of the Huntington Police Department.
“Chief Joe Ciccarelli’s public service exemplifies the vision and leadership necessary to build trust and restore hope to crime victims. This award represents the gratitude of crime victims, their families, and those of us in the criminal justice system and advocacy community who have been fortunate enough to see how his efforts have made a difference,” stated Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. “I am privileged to have known and worked with Joe for a number of years, as are all of us gathered today to celebrate his service. His commitment to truth and justice has been remarkable, and his determined advocacy has had an incredible impact on crime victims’ rights right here in our community and throughout our entire criminal justice system.”
The event featured officials working in the criminal justice system, agencies and organizations providing services to crime victims, and crime victims themselves who spoke firsthand about their experiences. Many who could not attend sent letters recognizing Chief Ciccarelli’s public service, including United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
This ceremony marks the 16th Annual Operation Reach Out event. Operation Reach Out is a collaborative group of federal, state and local agencies and organizations that work to raise awareness about the rights, protections, and services available to crime victims in West Virginia. The event was made possible through the partnership between Operation Reach Out and the Counseling Connection, an organization that provides counseling, therapy, education, and advocacy throughout West Virginia. The staff of Mt. Olive Correctional Complex was also essential to today’s event.
The event was held in conjunction with the nationwide observance of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, which began on April 10 and runs through April 16, 2016, and locally includes the Walk/Run for Justice 5K on Friday, April 15, 2016, at Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston. Registration is free and starts at 11:00 A.M. The race begins at noon and there will be plaques presented for the top finishers in the women’s and men’s divisions. For more information on the Walk/Run for Justice 5K, please contact Marla Willcox Eddy at 304-340-3676. The theme of National Crime Victims' Rights Week this year is "Serving Victims. Building Trust. Restoring Hope."
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Charleston man sentenced to Federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for a gun crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Richard Howard King II, 21, previously pleaded guilty in January 2016 to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
King admitted that on July 16, 2015, he was carrying a concealed handgun when he was approached by Charleston Police Department officers. After King informed the officers that he was armed, the officers removed a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber pistol from his waistband. King also admitted that he possessed four other firearms from July 5, 2013, through July 16, 2015, one of which was stolen. At the time he possessed the firearms, King admitted that he was a habitual, unlawful user of marijuana.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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***media Advisory***Read the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, along with federal, state and local advocates of crime victims’ rights, will host an opening ceremony in recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week on Monday, April 11, 2016, at noon in the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston.
The ceremony will feature officials working in the criminal justice system, agencies and organizations providing services to crime victims, and crime victims themselves who can speak firsthand to their experience. As part of the event, there will be a presentation of the 2016 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Award to Huntington Police Chief Joe Ciccarelli.
This ceremony marks the 16th Annual Operation Reach Out event. Operation Reach Out is a collaborative group of federal, state and local agencies and organizations that work to raise awareness about the rights, protections, and services available to crime victims in West Virginia. This event is being held in conjunction with the nationwide observance of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, which begins on April 10 and runs through April 16, 2016. The theme of National Crime Victims' Rights Week this year is "Serving Victims. Building Trust. Restoring Hope."
WHO:
- Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto
- Kandi Burns, Crime Victim Survivor
- Elaine and Stephanie Wagner, Crime Victim Survivors
- Huntington Police Chief Joe Ciccarelli, Recipient of the 2016 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Award
- Operation Reach Out committee members
- Other federal, state and local officials
- Staff representing the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia
WHAT:
- Operation Reach Out Opening Ceremony for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
WHERE:
- Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse – Fifth Floor
- 300 Virginia Street, East
- Charleston, WV 25301
WHEN:
- Monday, April 11, 2016, at noon. The ceremony will immediately follow a reception and lunch beginning at noon.
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Two drug dealers appear in Federal court for heroin crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two heroin dealers appeared in federal court today for drug crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Antoine Joshua Broner, 37, of Charleston, was sentenced to a year and four months in federal prison for distribution of heroin. In a separate prosecution, Lawrence Matthew Garner, 34, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Broner admitted that on August 4, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. Following the drug deal, officers seized $615 from Broner’s house in Charleston, $75 of which was pre-recorded buy money used in the controlled purchase with the confidential informant. Broner further admitted to possessing additional heroin at his residence that he intended to distribute.
In a separate heroin prosecution, Garner admitted that on July 16, 2015, he was arrested by members of the South Charleston Police Department for delivery of a controlled substance. During a search incident to arrest, officers found over 37 grams of heroin in Garner’s possession. Garner faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on July 14, 2016.
The investigation of Broner was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge the prosecution of Broner. The case against Garner was investigated by the South Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution. The defendants appeared before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of pills and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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St. Albans man pleads guilty in Federal court to drug-related gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man caught with fentanyl, marijuana, several pistols, and three assault rifles pleaded guilty today, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. O’Neil Anthony Peart, 37, entered his guilty plea in federal court to possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses.
On December 4, 2015, drug task force officers executed a search warrant at Peart’s Walnut Street apartment in St. Albans. Among other items, police seized eight firearms, including three “AR”-style assault rifles with high-capacity magazines, approximately 21 grams of fentanyl, approximately 7.5 pounds of marijuana, and more than $5,300 in cash. All but two of the firearms were loaded.
Peart faces at least five years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 15, 2016.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the St. Albans Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is in charge of the prosecution. The hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime. This case was also brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Los Angeles drug dealer sentenced to over seven years in Federal prison for methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison today for a drug crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Terry Cunningham, 32, previously pleaded guilty in December 2015 to distribution of methamphetamine.
Cunningham admitted that on July 14, 2015, he shipped a package containing methamphetamine to an undercover Kanawha County Deputy Sheriff working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. After the undercover officer picked up the package, Cunningham provided instructions for making payment for the shipment using MoneyGram. Cunningham went to pick up the MoneyGram payment at a Walmart in Los Angeles, and immediately texted the undercover officer that he had received payment. Agents conducting surveillance in Los Angeles arrested Cunningham after observing him collecting the payment.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and other drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Former Massey Energy CEO Sentenced to a Year in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Don Blankenship Sentenced on Federal Conspiracy Charge
Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Casto announced that former Massey Energy Chief Executive Officer Don Blankenship was sentenced today to a year in federal prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Blankenship was sentenced for conspiracy to willfully violate mine health and safety standards after a jury returned a guilty verdict on the federal crime.
“This sentence is a victory for workers and workplace safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Casto. “It lets companies and their executives know that you can’t take chances with the lives of coal miners and get away with it. Putting the former chief executive officer of a major corporation in prison sends a message that violating mine safety laws is a serious crime and those who break those laws will be held accountable.”
Over the course of the trial, in which jury selection began on Oct. 1, 2015, and the jury returned a guilty verdict on Dec. 3, 2015, the jury heard evidence from 27 witnesses called by the United States. Many of these witnesses were coal miners who worked at the Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine prior to the 2010 explosion and they testified in detail from their firsthand knowledge of the unsafe working conditions at UBB, violations of U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations and organized efforts to obstruct and interfere with MSHA inspectors. The jury heard from Bill Ross, former Manager of Technical Services at Massey, who testified that he warned Blankenship about the company’s practice of rampant violations and told the defendant prior to the UBB explosion that Massey’s standard tactic of ignoring or defrauding MSHA could not be sustained without the possibility of a serious accident that could have fatalities. The evidence also showed that Blankenship received daily updates on safety violations and helped perpetuate them.
“Putting profits over the safety of workers is reprehensible,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Casto. “The jury acknowledged that with the guilty verdict and the sentence imposed today recognizes that disregarding safety laws has real consequences. From the beginning, the objective of this investigation and this prosecution was to not only show that those who violate safety laws will be held responsible, but also to deter these violations in the future to make everyone’s workplace safer.”
“Today’s sentence marks the culmination of a comprehensive, joint investigation that took over five years to complete and resulted in five criminal convictions.” said Special Agent in Charge Scott S. Smith of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. “Along with dedicated prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigators in U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI is committed to holding those who commit crimes by enabling safety violations and who place profits above the value of human life accountable.”
“Donald Blankenship’s trial and conviction came after an explosion that killed 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch mine,” said Special Agent in Charge John Spratley of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations’ Philadelphia Regional Office. “His sentencing today reaffirms the responsibility of company executives to ensure they adhere to health and safety standards. The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General will continue to work with the Mine Safety and Health Administration and our law enforcement partners to investigate criminal worker safety violations that pose a threat to American workers.”
The prosecution was the result of a comprehensive investigation that, including Blankenship, resulted in five criminal convictions. In addition to the convictions of individuals, the outcome of the investigation also included a resolution of over $200 million with Alpha Natural Resources after it acquired Massey. This agreement established a foundation dedicated to mine safety and health research, the first of its kind and set aside nearly $50 million in funding for the foundation. That funding has provided the resources for some of the best and brightest minds in the country to pursue research that will make mines safer all over the world.
This matter was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven R. Ruby, Gregory McVey and Gabriele Wohl, as well as former U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin, handled the prosecution and tried the case before a federal jury.
The prosecution is part of a sustained effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to protect the health and safety of West Virginia workers by vigorously prosecuting workplace safety crimes and holding accountable those responsible for dangerous working conditions.
Blankenship sentenced to a year in Federal prisonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto announced that former Massey Energy Chief Executive Officer Don Blankenship was sentenced today to a year in federal prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Blankenship was sentenced for conspiracy to willfully violate mine health and safety standards after a jury returned a guilty verdict on the federal crime.
“This sentence is a victory for workers and workplace safety. It lets companies and their executives know that you can’t take chances with the lives of coal miners and get away with it,” stated Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. “Putting the former chief executive officer of a major corporation in prison sends a message that violating mine safety laws is a serious crime, and those who break those laws will be held accountable.”
Over the course of the trial, in which jury selection began on October 1, 2015, and the jury returned a guilty verdict on December 3, 2015, the jury heard evidence from 27 witnesses called by the United States. Many of these witnesses were coal miners who worked at the Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine prior to the 2010 explosion, and they testified in detail from their firsthand knowledge of the unsafe working conditions at UBB, violations of U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations, and organized efforts to obstruct and interfere with MSHA inspectors. The jury heard from Bill Ross, former Manager of Technical Services at Massey, who testified that he warned Blankenship about the company’s practice of rampant violations, and told the defendant prior to the UBB explosion that Massey’s standard tactic of ignoring or defrauding MSHA could not be sustained without the possibility of a serious accident that could have fatalities. The evidence also showed that Blankenship received daily updates on safety violations and helped perpetuate them.
“Putting profits over the safety of workers is reprehensible. The jury acknowledged that with the guilty verdict, and the sentence imposed today recognizes that disregarding safety laws has real consequences,” said Casto. “From the beginning, the objective of this investigation and this prosecution was to not only show that those who violate safety laws will be held responsible, but also to deter these violations in the future to make everyone’s workplace safer.”
“Today’s sentence marks the culmination of a comprehensive, joint investigation that took over five years to complete and resulted in five criminal convictions.” said Special Agent in Charge Scott S. Smith of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. “Along with dedicated prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigators in United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI is committed to holding those who commit crimes by enabling safety violations and who place profits above the value of human life accountable.”
"Donald Blankenship's trial and conviction came after an explosion that killed 29 miners at the Upper Big Branch mine. His sentencing today reaffirms the responsibility of company executives to ensure they adhere to health and safety standards. The Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General will continue to work with the Mine Safety and Health Administration and our law enforcement partners to investigate criminal worker safety violations that pose a threat to American workers," said John Spratley, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.
The prosecution was the result of a comprehensive investigation that, including Blankenship, resulted in five criminal convictions. In addition to the convictions of individuals, the outcome of the investigation also included a resolution of over $200 million with Alpha Natural Resources after it acquired Massey. This agreement established a foundation dedicated to mine safety and health research, the first of its kind, and set aside nearly $50 million in funding for the foundation. That funding has provided the resources for some of the best and brightest minds in the country to pursue research that will make mines safer all over the world.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven R. Ruby, Gregory McVey, and Gabriele Wohl, as well as former United States Attorney Booth Goodwin, handled the prosecution and tried the case before a federal jury.
The prosecution is part of a sustained effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to protect the health and safety of West Virginia workers by vigorously prosecuting workplace safety crimes and holding accountable those responsible for dangerous working conditions.
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Malden heroin dealer pleads guilty to Federal drug crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Malden man pleaded guilty today to a federal heroin crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. James Christian Young, 41, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin.
Young admitted that on October 19, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place at Young’s residence on Georges Creek Drive in Malden in Kanawha County. Young faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 23, 2016.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two Charleston men plead guilty to Federal drug trafficking crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston drug dealers entered guilty pleas today in federal court, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Dushawn D. Williams, 39, pleaded guilty to distribution of crack. In a separate prosecution, Alan Alexander Clark, 33, pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin.
Williams admitted that on July 24, 2015, he sold approximately an ounce of crack to a confidential informant working with law enforcement in exchange for $1,600. The drug deal occurred in the parking lot of the Dollar General store in Cross Lanes. Williams faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on July 13, 2016.
In a separate drug prosecution, Clark admitted that on July 29, 2015, he sold approximately half a gram of heroin to a confidential informant. The drug deal took place at the Rite Aid Pharmacy at 406 Washington Street, West, in Charleston. Clark faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on July 5, 2016.
The investigations of Williams and Clark were conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is in charge of the prosecution of Williams. The Williams plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston. Assistant United States Attorney Clint Carte is handling the prosecution of Clark. The Clark plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
These cases were prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and other drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Lincoln County pill dealer pleads guilty to Federal crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Lincoln County drug dealer pleaded guilty today to federal crimes associated with selling pain pills, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Timothy Scott Hallam, 34, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and conspiracy to launder the proceeds of his drug dealing.
Hallam admitted that from May 2012 through May 2014, he obtained oxycodone pills from Lester Taylor, who resided in Florida, for distribution in Lincoln County. After Hallam sold the pills in West Virginia, he and the other co-conspirators deposited the proceeds into Taylor’s bank accounts at various banks in Barboursville and Huntington. Once the money was deposited in West Virginia, Taylor and others would withdraw the money in Florida. Hallam admitted to depositing over $40,000 in drug proceeds as part of the conspiracy.
Taylor was previously sentenced in November 2015 to 10 years in federal prison. Hallam faces up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 6, 2016.
This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Huntington man pleads guilty to Federal heroin chargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who participated in a heroin distribution conspiracy in 2012 and 2013 pleaded guilty today in federal court, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Edwin G. Simpson, 45, entered a guilty plea to maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing and using heroin.
Between November 2012 and March 2013, Simpson was the tenant of an apartment at 1231 10th Avenue in Huntington. During that period, Simpson allowed others to store heroin at his apartment after it was transported from Detroit. Simpson also allowed others to distribute heroin from his apartment to various customers.
On March 8, 2013, agents with the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Simpson’s apartment. During the search, agents seized heroin, a .32 caliber revolver, ammunition, and other items associated with the sale of heroin.
Multiple defendants have been convicted of drug offenses as a result of this investigation. Those sentenced to federal prison include Kenneth E. Baxter, who was sentenced to seven years and three months; Coty S. Richardson, who was sentenced to five years and ten months; Sean L. Gist, who was sentenced to five years and three months; Ramone L. Wells, who was sentenced to four years; Pricilla Lee Dylan, who was sentenced to two years and nine months; and Dustin S. Barton, who was sentenced to a year and a day. Paul A. Roberts, Jr., was sentenced to five years of probation for assisting the group in securing a residence to conduct drug deals. Warren G. Howard was also sentenced to five years of probation for distributing heroin.
The Huntington FBI Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Defendant sentenced for contraband cigarette conspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. - Mr. Fodie Koita entered a guilty plea and was sentenced today for conspiring to transport contraband cigarettes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Koita, who has been incarcerated since September 23, 2015, was sentenced to credit for time served and placed on supervised release for three years. Upon discharge, Koita is being transferred to Indiana for additional fraud charges that are pending there, along with possible deportation proceedings through the Department of Homeland Security.
Koita, an immigrant from Mali, along with Mr. Yahya Willia, drove from New York City to Huntington to purchase contraband cigarettes in 2010. These cigarettes were purchased from Smokin’ Aces, a storefront that purported to be a discount tobacco store. The Smokin’ Aces store was actually an undercover storefront staffed by law enforcement agents posing as illegal brokers of contraband, including contraband cigarettes. The Smokin’ Aces investigation began in May 2010 and was concluded in March 2011. The contraband cigarettes did not have a tax stamp, meaning the conspirators purchased the cigarettes at a lower price than if they were taxed by the state of West Virginia. When the cigarettes were transported from West Virginia and resold in other states where cigarette taxes are higher, the conspiracy members received a greater profit from the illegal sales. In December 2010, Koita and Willia purchased 2,340 cartons of contraband cigarettes, transported the contraband from West Virginia to New York, and resold the cigarettes in New York. Willia was convicted in 2011 and subsequently deported to Nigeria by the Department of Homeland Security.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Huntington Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Meredith George Thomas handled the prosecution. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as the result of a significant undercover investigation that targeted criminal activity in the Huntington area, including illegal drugs and firearms crimes. The operation led to a substantial number of prosecutions, and was made public in March 2011 after a federal grand jury returned over 50 indictments.
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Final member of Culloden heroin-dealing family sentenced to prison on Federal drug chargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Culloden woman who, together with her husband and son, sold heroin from their home in 2014 and 2015 was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Toni Lynn Cremeans, 41, previously pleaded guilty in December 2015 to distributing heroin.
From early 2014 to May 2015, Toni Cremeans, her husband Sanford Dale Cremeans, and their son, Shawn Cremeans, conspired to sell heroin from their residence at 2246 3rd Street in Culloden. During that time period, Toni Cremeans frequently transported heroin to their residence where she and others would prepare it for distribution.
On December 2, 2014, a confidential informant working with law enforcement contacted Shawn Cremeans to arrange a heroin purchase. The informant traveled to the Cremeans’ residence and met with Shawn and Sanford Cremeans while they waited for Toni Cremeans to arrive with additional heroin. Once Toni Cremeans arrived, the informant paid Shawn Cremeans and received the heroin from Sanford Cremeans. Toni Cremeans admitted that she was responsible for distributing up to 100 grams of heroin during the conspiracy. Sanford and Shawn Cremeans both admitted that they assisted in the sale of heroin from the family residence and were also responsible for the distribution of up to 100 grams of heroin.
Sanford Cremeans was sentenced in January 2016 to three-and-a-half years in federal prison. Shawn Cremeans was sentenced earlier this month to five years of probation.
The Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecutions. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two drug dealers plead guilty to distributing pain pillsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men pleaded guilty today to federal drug crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Willie Keaton Goodson III, 22, of Ronceverte, entered his guilty plea to distribution of oxymorphone. In a separate prosecution, David Pfost, 31, of Beckley, pleaded guilty to distributing oxycodone.
Goodson admitted that on October 22, 2015, he distributed oxymorphone pills at his Ronceverte residence to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. During the course of the investigation, authorities seized large quantities of oxymorphone, oxycodone, and heroin. Goodson also agreed to the forfeiture of approximately $103,000 seized by law enforcement. Goodson further admitted that he made the money from selling drugs. The forfeiture proceeding is pending in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. Goodson faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 30, 2016.
In a separate drug prosecution, Pfost admitted that on February 11, 2015, he distributed oxycodone to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place on Washington Street in Beckley. Pfost faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 30, 2016.
The investigation of Goodson was conducted by the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit conducted the investigation of Pfost. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
The Goodson case was prosecuted as part of the Greenbrier Valley Heroin and Pill Initiative. Both of these prosecutions were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Charleston heroin dealer sentenced to Federal prison on drug chargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto announced that a Charleston drug dealer was sentenced today to a year and a day in federal prison for a heroin crime. Thomas Kerr Clements, 53, previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin.
Clements admitted that on May 27, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement authorities. The drug deal took place at the defendant’s residence, located in the Rand area of Charleston.
This case was investigated by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff’s Tactical Operations Patrol Team. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two drug dealers appear in Federal court for heroin crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two heroin dealers appeared today in federal court on drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Gavin Edwards, 32, of South Charleston, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for distribution of heroin. Edwards was also sentenced today to a year in federal prison for violating his supervised release after he served a prison sentence for a 2008 felony drug conviction in federal court. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. In a separate prosecution, Justin Randolph, 27, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin.
Edwards admitted that on December 8, 2014, he sold approximately half a gram of heroin to a confidential informant working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Edwards completed the drug deal in the parking lot behind his apartment at 4832 Kanawha Turnpike Avenue in South Charleston. Edwards further admitted that on December 10, 2014, he sold the same confidential informant approximately 1.6 grams of heroin. On December 16, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant for the apartment and located over 250 grams of marijuana, over 250 grams of crack, and approximately $5,930 in cash. During the search, law enforcement also recovered an additional $1,569 in cash that Edwards had in his pockets.
In a separate heroin prosecution, Randolph admitted that on January 15, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. The drug deal took place in the parking lot of the Dunbar Kroger. Randolph faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 22, 2016.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team investigated the Edwards case. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is in charge of the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence.
The investigation of Randolph was conducted by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is handling the prosecution. Randolph’s plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
These cases were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two drug dealers plead guilty to Federal charges in CharlestonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men pleaded guilty today to federal drug crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Joseph Cooper, 41, of Charleston and Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to possession of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Law enforcement pulled Cooper over on January 20, 2016, in Saint Albans, and seized over 170 grams of methamphetamine, 70 grams of crack, and over $30,000 in cash from the car. Cooper admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine throughout the Southern West Virginia area. Cooper faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 14, 2016.
In a separate drug prosecution, Dennis Walls, 25, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin. Walls admitted that on March 24, 2015, when agents of the Charleston Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit came to his Fairview Drive residence to inquire about his involvement in dealing heroin in the Charleston area, they found him in the process of weighing heroin for future drug deals. Walls turned over the heroin to law enforcement, along with a .45 caliber handgun. Walls also admitted to his involvement in the distribution of heroin in the area over a several month period. Walls faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 15, 2016.
The investigation of Cooper was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is responsible for the prosecution of Cooper. The Charleston Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit conducted the investigation of Walls. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail is handling the prosecution of Walls. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over both of the plea hearings.
These cases were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Huntington felon and Charleston heroin dealer sentenced to prison for Federal crimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced today on federal charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Semaj Markes Leondre Figg, 24, of Huntington, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In a separate prosecution, Anthony Lamar Jordan Honeycutt, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Figg previously pleaded guilty in December 2015. He admitted that on April 29, 2015, he was arrested by members of the Huntington Police Department on a warrant for a parole violation. At the time of his arrest, officers found Figg in possession of a CZ Model 52, 7.62 x 25 caliber pistol. Figg was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2014 felony conviction in Cabell County Circuit Court for conspiracy to deliver cocaine.
Honeycutt previously pleaded guilty in December 2015, and admitted that on December 16, 2014, drug task force officers working with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team stopped him in downtown Charleston. Honeycutt was on his way to deliver heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. Officers found Honeycutt in possession of approximately 42 grams of heroin at the time of his arrest.
The Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation of Figg. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution of Figg. The investigation of Honeycutt was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is in charge of the prosecution of Honeycutt. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
The prosecution of Figg is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime.
The Honeycutt case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Detroit oxycodone dealer pleads guilty to Federal drug crimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit drug dealer pleaded guilty today to a federal oxycodone crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Chester Lee Estes, 40, entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute oxycodone.
On October 2, 2014, agents with the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force were conducting surveillance of several individuals in Huntington who appeared to be involved in drug trafficking near the Days Inn. During that surveillance, agents observed Estes leave the hotel and travel west toward Walmart on Route 60. Members of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, who were assisting in the investigation, then arrested Estes on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for transferring and receiving stolen property. In a search of Estes following his arrest, agents seized 476 oxycodone pills, over $4,500 in cash, two cell phones, and a Days Inn room key. Law enforcement also conducted a search of the hotel room and located the girlfriend of Estes, along with their small child, as well as over $900 in cash and an additional cell phone.
Estes faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 20, 2016.
The investigation of Estes was conducted by the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory McVey is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two men appear on Federal heroin charges in CharlestonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men appeared in federal court today on heroin charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Timothy A. Johnson, 46, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin. Johnson previously pleaded guilty and admitted that on April 23, 2015, law enforcement seized 200 grams of heroin, 384 grams of cocaine, 8 grams of crack, and over $29,000 at his Charleston residence. The seized currency included over $2,000 in pre-recorded buy money used by law enforcement to purchase heroin from a drug dealer that Johnson supplied. Law enforcement also recovered a loaded handgun, a .40 caliber pistol, from his residence.
In a separate drug prosecution, Jerome Anthony Smith, 41, of Williamson, pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin. He admitted that from May to August 2014, during the course of several controlled purchases, he distributed both heroin and crack to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deals took place in the Williamson area. Smith faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 9, 2016.
The investigation of Smith was conducted by the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force and the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team conducted the investigation of Johnson. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecutions. The defendants appeared before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
These cases were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two men sentenced in Federal court in BluefieldRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced today in federal court in Bluefield, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Tyrell Saunders, 22, was sentenced to a year and nine months for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison. Saunders previously pleaded guilty to the federal crime in January 2016. He admitted that on May 11, 2015, he possessed a handcrafted knife while he was serving time in the Federal Correctional Institution at McDowell. The handcrafted metal weapon, commonly referred to as a “shank,” was sharpened to a point and had fabric around the other end to serve as a handle. The new term of incarceration will run consecutive to the sentence of 15 years Saunders has been serving for several 2013 federal drug convictions in the Western District of Virginia.
In a separate prosecution, Albert Delorso, 49, of Bluewell, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for distributing pain pills. Delorso previously pleaded guilty in November 2015 to distribution of hydromorphone. He admitted that on June 30, 2015, he distributed hydromorphone pills near Bluewell to a confidential informant working with law enforcement.
The case against Saunders was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated the Delorso case. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecutions. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences.
The federal drug prosecution was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two White Sulphur Springs men appear in Federal court on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Two White Sulphur Springs men appeared today in federal court in Beckley on drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Darin Timothy Hoke, 21, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison for distribution of oxymorphone. Hoke previously pleaded guilty in November 2015 to the federal drug charge. He admitted that on July 28, 2015, he distributed an oxymorphone pill in White Sulphur Springs to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. Hoke also admitted that as part of his drug dealing he had distributed over 600 oxymorphone pills and 120 packets of heroin.
In a separate prosecution, Wilbur Arnold, Jr., 50, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Arnold admitted that on July 22, 2015, law enforcement authorities seized cocaine from his home that he intended to distribute. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 8, 2016.
The case against Hoke was investigated by the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department and the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated the Arnold case. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecutions. The defendants appeared before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
These cases were prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat illegal drugs in our communities, including the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The United States Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Multiple defendants appear on Federal charges in HuntingtonRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Multiple defendants appeared today in federal court in Huntington, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Andre Robert Womble, II, 26, of Huntington, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for a heroin crime. He previously pleaded guilty in November 2015 to possession with intent to distribute heroin. On December 11, 2014, officers with the Huntington Police Department responded to a complaint on the 300 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington. An officer observed Womble and noted that he matched the description of the suspect in the complaint. When the officer attempted to approach, Womble began running from the police. The officer chased Womble and observed him throw a cigarette box on the roof of the Olive Street Market. The cigarette box was found by law enforcement to contain approximately 53 grams of heroin. Officers caught and arrested Womble, at which point they found an additional 20 bags of heroin in his pocket. Womble admitted that he intended to distribute all of the heroin.
In a separate prosecution of a federal gun crime, Shane Patrick Masters, 45, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a crime of domestic violence. On July 2, 2015, Masters traveled to the 26th Street Drinkery, a bar in Huntington. Masters had a handgun in his vehicle when he arrived at the bar where he met and had drinks with two other individuals. Later on in the early morning hours, those two individuals came into possession of the gun and provided it to officers with the Huntington Police Department. Masters was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2015 domestic battery conviction in Wayne County Circuit Court. Masters faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 6, 2016.
In a separate drug prosecution, Michael Muncy, 36, and his mother, Naomi Messer, 55, both of Crum in Wayne County, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. Following several controlled purchases of oxycodone from their residence in Crum, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the house on February 21, 2012. Law enforcement seized oxycodone pills and cash, including pre-recorded buy money from a prior controlled purchase of oxycodone. Muncy and Messer each face up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when they are sentenced on June 13, 2016.
The Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation of Womble. The Huntington Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation of Masters. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecutions of Womble and Masters. The West Virginia State Police and the Route 119 Task Force conducted the investigation of Muncy and Messer. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecutions of Muncy and Messer.
The hearings were held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
The federal firearms charge was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime. The federal drug prosecutions were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Detroit man sentenced for role in Detroit-to-Huntington heroin conspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man who participated in a heroin conspiracy in 2013 was sentenced today to five years of probation, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Warren G. Howard, Jr., 25, previously pleaded guilty in December 2015 to distributing heroin.
During 2013, Howard conspired with others, including Kenneth E. Baxter, to distribute heroin which had been transported from Detroit to the Huntington area. On May 20, 2013, a confidential informant contacted Baxter to arrange the purchase of heroin. Howard and Baxter met the informant in the parking lot of a grocery store located at 1st Street and 7th Avenue in Huntington. The drug deal took place in Howard’s vehicle.
Multiple defendants have been convicted of drug offenses as a result of the investigation. Those sentenced to federal prison include Baxter, who was sentenced to seven years and three months; Coty S. Richardson, who was sentenced to five years and ten months; Sean L. Gist, who was sentenced to five years and three months; Ramone L. Wells, who was sentenced to four years; Pricilla Lee Dylan, who was sentenced to two years and nine months; and Dustin S. Barton, who was sentenced to a year and a day. Paul A. Roberts, Jr., was sentenced to five years of probation for assisting the group in securing a residence to conduct drug deals.
The Huntington FBI Drug Task Force, United States Postal Service, West Virginia State Police and Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation of these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecutions. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Another member of Culloden heroin-dealing family sentenced on Federal drug chargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Culloden man who assisted his parents in selling heroin from their home in 2014 and 2015 was sentenced today to five years of probation, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Shawn Paul Cremeans, 24, previously pleaded guilty in December 2015 to aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin.
From early 2014 to May 2015, Sanford Dale Cremeans and his wife, Toni Cremeans, along with their son, Shawn Cremeans, conspired to sell heroin from their residence at 2246 3rd Street in Culloden. On December 2, 2014, a confidential informant working with law enforcement contacted Shawn Cremeans to arrange a heroin purchase. The informant traveled to the Cremeans’ residence and met with Shawn and Sanford Cremeans while they waited for Toni Cremeans to arrive with additional heroin. Once Toni Cremeans arrived, the informant paid Shawn Cremeans and received the heroin from Sanford Cremeans. Both Toni and Shawn Cremeans admitted that they were responsible for distributing up to 100 grams of heroin during the conspiracy. Sanford Cremeans admitted that he assisted in the sale of heroin from the family residence on numerous other occasions and was responsible for the distribution of up to 100 grams of heroin.
Sanford Cremeans was sentenced in January 2016 to three and a half years in federal prison. Toni Cremeans previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin and faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced on March 28, 2016.
The Huntington FBI Drug Task Force and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation of these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecutions. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Former Logan County gun shop employee pleads guilty to Federal firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former employee of a Logan County gun and pawn shop pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Steven Adkins, 38, of Man, entered his guilty plea to making and aiding and abetting false statements relating to firearms purchases.
Adkins was an employee of Uncle Sam’s Loans, a gun and pawn shop in Man. In this job, Adkins sold and transferred firearms to people that he knew were not the actual buyers of the guns. These types of transactions are commonly called “straw purchases.” Adkins fraudulently filled out federal forms required to be completed during a lawful firearms sale, or directed others to fraudulently complete the forms. These fraudulent forms reflected straw purchases when, in fact, the guns were sold to other buyers. From 2009 to 2014, Adkins engaged in more than 50 illegal straw purchases and transfers of firearms.
Adkins faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on June 6, 2016.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Meredith George Thomas are handling the prosecution. The hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime.
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Greenbrier County man denied bond in Federal firearms caseRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto announced that a Greenbrier County man charged with federal gun crimes was denied bond today. United States Magistrate Judge Dwayne L. Tinsley ordered that Ronald Ray McMillion, 64, of Renick, remain in custody following a hearing in federal court in Charleston.
McMillion was indicted by a federal grand jury in Beckley on February 23, 2016. The indictment alleges that McMillion possessed three firearms on April 21, 2014, and one firearm on April 25, 2014, at his residence in Renick, all while being prohibited from possessing firearms because he is a convicted felon and because he is an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
McMillion’s trial is scheduled for March 28, 2016, in Beckley before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
The United States Attorney’s Office advises that an indictment is merely an allegation of criminal behavior and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two men sentenced for illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Two men, Nero Fernandez-Fernando and Ramiro Lopez Chilel, pleaded guilty and were sentenced today for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Both men were sentenced to credit for time served and transferred to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security for deportation proceedings.
Fernandez-Fernando and Lopez-Chilel were both employees of the Casa Grande Restaurant in Eleanor in Putnam County. Department of Homeland Security investigators encountered both men during the course of an investigation in the Eleanor area. Fernandez-Fernando, a citizen of Mexico, was taken into custody on December 2, 2015. In 2009, he was convicted in Arizona of solicitation to commit smuggling. After this conviction, he was deported to Mexico and he later illegally crossed the border back into the United States. Lopez-Chilel, a citizen of Guatemala, was taken into custody on October 30, 2015. Lopez-Chilel had previously been convicted in Virginia of illegally reentering the United States in 2012, and was subsequently deported. Sometime after his deportation, Lopez-Chilel also illegally reentered the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecutions. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences.
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Two felons appear in Federal court for gun crimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two felons appeared in court in Huntington today for federal gun crimes, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Bradney Allen Adkins, a felon from South Point, Ohio, who shot himself in the foot while driving on Interstate 64 in February 2015, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison. Adkins, 32, pleaded guilty in November 2015 to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On February 5, 2015, Adkins, while in possession of two handguns, was traveling westbound on Interstate 64 in Barboursville. While driving, Adkins accidently shot himself in the foot with one of the handguns. Adkins went to Cabell Huntington Hospital to seek treatment for the gunshot wound. Troopers with the West Virginia State Police responded to the hospital and recovered both handguns from a dumpster. Adkins, who was in the process of bringing the guns to Huntington to trade for heroin, was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of six previous felony convictions in Ohio and Indiana.
In a separate hearing, Troy Walter Simpson, a felon from Putnam County who illegally possessed two firearms at his residence, pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge. Simpson, 38, of Liberty, entered his guilty plea to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On December 15, 2014, law enforcement went to interview Simpson at his residence located at 198 Fisher’s Ridge Road in Liberty. Agents had previously received a report that Simpson had multiple firearms in his residence. When agents spoke with Simpson, he admitted having the guns and gave agents permission to enter his residence to retrieve them. Agents subsequently located and seized a .30-30 rifle and a .410 shotgun. Simpson was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law based on a 2007 felony conviction in Putnam County Circuit Court for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Simpson faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 13, 2016.
The case against Adkins was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation of Simpson. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecutions. The hearings were held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
These prosecutions were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by working with existing local programs that target gun crime.
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Three defendants sentenced to prison in Federal court in BeckleyRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three defendants were sentenced today in federal court in Beckley, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Rafael Carrera-Fuentes, 36, was sentenced to a year and nine months for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison. Carrera-Fuentes previously pleaded guilty to the federal crime in November 2015. He admitted that on April 25, 2015, while he was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution at Beckley, a Bureau of Prisons staff member discovered a six-inch piece of sharpened metal hidden in his shoe. Carrera-Fuentes further admitted that he possessed the handcrafted weapon, commonly referred to as a “shank.” The new term of incarceration will run consecutive to the sentence of 11 years for a 2011 federal drug conviction that Carrera-Fuentes is currently serving.
John Samuel Lowe, Jr., 35, of White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison for using a phone to facilitate drug trafficking and for simple possession of heroin. Lowe previously pleaded guilty in October 2015 to the federal drug crimes. He admitted that on April 3, 2015, he used a phone in the White Sulphur Springs area to help set up a drug deal with a confidential informant, and that later the same day he distributed heroin to the informant. Lowe further admitted that on April 17, 2015, law enforcement seized a small amount of heroin that Lowe intended to use from his White Sulphur Springs residence.
Stephanie Renee Dunsmore, 30, of White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for using a phone on two occasions to help set up drug transactions with a confidential informant. Dunsmore previously pleaded guilty in October 2015 to the federal drug crimes. She admitted that on March 2, 2015, and again on March 3, 2015, while she was in the White Sulphur Springs area, she called an informant to set up a drug deal, and then later distributed heroin to the informant. She further admitted that her drug crimes involved up to 400 grams of heroin, and that she possessed firearms while involved in her drug dealing activity.
The Carrera-Fuentes case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The cases against Lowe and Dunsmore were investigated by the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecutions. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences.
The Lowe and Dunsmore cases were prosecuted as part of the Greenbrier Valley Heroin and Pill Initiative, an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal drug trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Logan County man sentenced to over three years in Federal prison for drug crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced to three years and seven months in federal prison for distribution of oxymorphone, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. William Toler, Jr., 29, of Chapmanville, previously pleaded guilty to the federal drug crime in August 2015.
Toler admitted that on April 10, 2014, he sold a 40 mg oxymorphone pill to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place at a residence near Chapmanville. Toler further admitted that he was responsible for over 20 grams of oxymorphone and over 20 grams of oxycodone during the course of his drug dealing activity. During the sentencing hearing, the Court noted that Toler had been a significant law enforcement problem in his community and a substantial source of prescription pills.
This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
This prosecution was brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Final defendant sentenced to four years in Federal prison for role in counterfeiting ringRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – An Ohio woman was sentenced to four years in federal prison for three counts of passing counterfeit money, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Paula K. Green, 42, of Columbus, previously pleaded guilty to the federal counterfeiting crimes in October 2015.
Green admitted to passing counterfeit $100 bills in April 2014 in the Beckley and Charleston areas. In the Beckley area, Green passed counterfeit bills at several businesses, including businesses in the Crossroads Mall, as well as at K-Mart at the Plaza Mall off Robert C. Byrd Drive. In Charleston, Green passed counterfeit bills at K-Mart on MacCorkle Avenue.
As a result of this investigation, three other women have been sentenced for their roles in the counterfeiting scheme. Nyteria Green, of Columbus and the half-sister of co-defendant Paula Green, was sentenced in December 2015 to three years in federal prison. O’wynn Rogers, of Beckley, was sentenced in December 2015 to one year in federal prison. Nyteria Green and Rogers both admitted to passing counterfeit $100 bills in April 2014 at several businesses around Beckley, including businesses in the Crossroads Mall, as well as at the IHOP on Harper Road. Kenyata Smith, of Beckley, was sentenced in October 2015 to two years of probation for passing counterfeit money in April 2014 at a Dairy Queen in Beaver.
The investigation of these cases was conducted by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Bacaj is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences.
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Milton man pleads guilty to possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Milton man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty today to possession of over 600 images of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Mark Allen Angle, 47, entered his guilty plea in federal court to the child pornography crime.
Angle admitted that on March 19, 2015, he possessed images of prepubescent minors engaged in sexual acts. The images were contained on his personal computer and multiple media devices found at his residence in Milton. The investigation revealed that Angle was using peer-to-peer file sharing programs to download, receive, and distribute child pornography. The court scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2016.
The West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston is in charge of the prosecution. The hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case is being brought as part of the United States Attorney’s ongoing initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Logan County woman sentenced for preparing fraudulent tax returnsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County woman was sentenced to five years of probation, with five months of this sentence to be served on home incarceration, and ordered to pay $188,665 in restitution for a preparing fraudulent tax returns, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Maria Antoinette Martin, 64, of Chapmanville, previously pleaded guilty in October 2015 to the federal tax crime.
From 2011 through 2013, Martin admitted to preparing 43 fraudulent tax returns from her home. She falsely claimed Earned Income Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits for her clients, knowing her clients did not qualify for these inflated tax credits. Martin also knew that falsely claiming these tax credits would increase the amount of federal income tax refunds for her clients. Once Martin electronically filed the returns, she received the tax refunds by direct deposit in bank accounts designated by her. Martin then split the tax refunds with her clients. As a result of her fraud, the United States Treasury paid $188,665 in fraudulent refunds.
The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation unit conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence.
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Two defendants sentenced for Los Angeles-to-Mercer County hydromorphone schemeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced today for federal drug crimes for their roles in trafficking pain pills from California to West Virginia, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Lawrence Ray Bennett, 31, of Los Angeles, was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison. Peter B. McKinley, Jr., 33, of Princeton, was sentenced to three years and a month in federal prison. Both Bennett and McKinley previously pleaded guilty in late 2015 to conspiracy to distribute hydromorphone.
Bennett admitted that from July 2014 to September 2015, he mailed packages of pain pills from Los Angeles to McKinley in Mercer County. McKinley admitted that he sold the pills in the Bluefield and Princeton areas, and then mailed packages containing a portion of the drug proceeds back to Bennett in California. During the investigation of the case, agents seized over 2,500 hydromorphone pills and approximately $19,000 in cash.
The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the United States Postal Service investigated the case. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences.
These cases were prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Two defendants prosecuted for Federal heroin crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two defendants appeared today in federal court in Charleston on heroin charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.
Antoine Maurice Brown, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for distribution of heroin. Brown previously pleaded guilty in November 2015 to the federal drug crime. Brown admitted that on June 26, 2013, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place in the 7-Eleven parking lot on Washington Street, East, in Charleston.
Michael Shepard, 23, of Beckley, pleaded guilty to distributing heroin. Shepard admitted that on January 7, 2015, he sold heroin to a confidential informant cooperating with law enforcement. The drug deal took place on Hartley Avenue in Beckley. Shepard faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced on June 8, 2016.
The investigation of Brown was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.
The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation of Shepard. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
These cases were prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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