Northern District of West Virginia

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Chelsea Marion Banks, age 28, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Banks was working with another person to sell drugs in the Wheeling area. Investigators executed search warrants on Banks’s Wheeling home and two Pennsylvania storage units, yielding more than a kilogram of fentanyl, cocaine, stolen firearms, ammunition, and more than $208,000 in cash.

Banks will be under United States Probation supervision for three years following her release from prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Wheeling Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling real estate developer pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and tax fraud in connection with a scheme to bilk investors out of millions of dollars.

United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Jeffrey James Morris, managing member of Roxby Development, LLC, admitted to one count of wire fraud and one count of willful failure to pay over tax. According to court documents, Morris, age 37, agreed that he used false and misleading information to induce investments in the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Morris also admitted that he caused Roxby Development to collect payroll taxes on behalf of its employees but willfully failed to pay over those funds to the Internal Revenue Service.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, Morris must pay $5,129,113.32 in restitution to investors and an additional $526,476.58 in taxes, penalties, and interest to the Internal Revenue Service.

Morris secured funding both locally and nationally to develop real estate in Wheeling. In addition to his acquisition of the Scottish Rite Cathedral, he acquired the McClure House Hotel and the Mount Carmel Monastery and solicited investments for other properties in the area. The Cathedral and McClure House were foreclosed upon in 2023, and the Monastery will be conveyed by Morris to its primary lienholder pursuant to the plea agreement.

Morris faces up to six and a half years in prison when he is sentenced.

United States Attorney Ihlenfeld and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-CI.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

Read the plea agreement here: 

Jeffrey Morris Plea Agreement

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Holden Borten, age 25, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison for traveling for sex with a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Borten initiated a sexual conversation through social media with someone he believed was under the age of 12 and then traveled from Maryland to Berkeley County, West Virginia, expecting a sexual encounter with the minor in December 2022. Borten was arrested at the meeting site by law enforcement.

Upon completion of his prison sentence, Borten will be on supervised release for life.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jaeson Wayne Marbury, age 30, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to theft of a firearm from a licensed dealer.

According to court documents, Marbury purchased 19 firearms from licensed dealers in Morgantown, West Virginia, with personal checks that later bounced because of insufficient funds, knowing his account couldn’t cover the purchases. Marbury then sold the firearms to individuals and pawn shops.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the 70th and 71st Attorney General’s Awards, honoring Justice Department employees and others for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of our nation’s laws. Recipients from both 2022 and 2023 were selected from a group of more than 800 nominees.

“Each of today’s recipients has served with distinction, and in so doing, they have enabled the Justice Department to advance its work on behalf of the American people,” said Attorney General Garland. “Their exceptional leadership, heroism, and dedication have benefited people and communities across the country. 

Jarod Douglas, Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for Outstanding Work in Investigation Threats to Critical U.S. Navy Technology for his exemplary work in U.S. v. Toebbe et al.  Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Diana Toebbe, of Annapolis, Maryland, were sentenced last year after pleading guilty to conspiracy to communicate restricted data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships. Read more about the case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/maryland-nuclear-engineer-and-his-wife-sentenced-espionage-related-offenses.  This is Mr. Douglas’s second Distinguished Service Award.

Along with Mr. Douglas, the Distinguished Award was presented to Trial Attorneys Matthew J. McKenzie and S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Leiber Smolar for the Western District of Pennsylvania; FBI Special Agents Jason Serone, Justin Van Tromp and Peter L. Olinits; FBI Supervisory Special Agent Andrew Bass Gray; FBI Unit Chief Andrew Thomas Mitchell; Special Agent John C. Nocella of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; FBI Intelligence Analyst Brent Cronce; FBI Staff Operations Specialist Vicky Mineard; FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Brassini; FBI Supervisory Investigative Specialist Keith Smith; and FBI Intelligence Analyst Sean Cottington.

A former IRS contractor was sentenced today to five years in prison for disclosing thousands of tax returns without authorization.

“Charles Littlejohn abused his position as a consultant at the Internal Revenue Service by disclosing thousands of Americans’ federal tax returns and other private financial information to news organizations. He violated his responsibility to safeguard the sensitive information that was entrusted to his care, and now he is a convicted felon,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence sends a strong message that those who violate laws intended to protect sensitive tax information will face significant punishment.”

According to court documents, Charles Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., while working at the IRS as a government contractor, stole tax return information associated with a high-ranking government official (Public Official A). Littlejohn accessed tax returns associated with Public Official A (and related individuals and entities) on an IRS database after using broad search parameters designed to conceal the true purpose of his queries. He then uploaded the tax returns to a private website in order to avoid IRS protocols established to detect and prevent large downloads or uploads from IRS devices or systems. Littlejohn then saved the tax returns to multiple personal storage devices, including an iPod, before contacting News Organization 1. Between around August 2019 and October 2019, Littlejohn provided News Organization 1 with the tax return information associated with Public Official A. Littlejohn subsequently stole additional tax return information related to Public Official A and provided it to News Organization 1. Beginning in September 2020, News Organization 1 published a series of articles about Public Official A’s tax returns using the tax return information obtained from Littlejohn.

“This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who is considering emulating Mr. Littlejohn’s actions,” said Acting Inspector General Heather Hill of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). “TIGTA relentlessly investigates individuals who illicitly access and disclose taxpayer information, regardless of their personal motivation. TIGTA appreciates the commitment of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in ensuring those who abuse their positions of public trust are held accountable for their actions.”

In July and August 2020, Littlejohn separately stole tax return information for thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals. Littlejohn was again able to evade detection by uploading the tax return information to a private website. In November 2020, Littlejohn disclosed this tax return information to News Organization 2, which published nearly 50 articles using the stolen data. Littlejohn then obstructed the forthcoming investigation into his conduct by deleting and destroying evidence of his disclosures.

Littlejohn pleaded guilty in October 2023 to unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information.

TIGTA investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson and Deputy Chief Jennifer Clarke of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney for the Northern District of West Virginia.

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeffrey D. Hebb, age 53, of Thomas, West Virginia, has admitted to possession of an unregistered firearm.

According to court documents, officers were called to a home in Tucker County on reports of shots fired and threats. Hebb was found at the home with an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. During the investigation, two unregistered explosive devices were found in Hebb’s home.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Tucker County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

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WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert L. Bruce, age 42, of Groveport, Ohio, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Bruce, also known as “Miami,” sold methamphetamine in Marshall County, WV. During the investigation, Bruce’s vehicle was searched, and officers found nearly 800 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the engine compartment.

The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Christian Adam Fisher, age 38, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Fisher was selling large quantities of methamphetamine in Grant County. Investigators found methamphetamine and a firearm after a search of his home and his vehicle.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eighty-two people have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a drug trafficking operation that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in the Eastern Panhandle.

The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that an indictment was unsealed, charging individuals from Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia with drug trafficking. According to court documents, Gary Bernard Brown, Jr., also known as “Gee,” age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, supplied others with large quantities of fentanyl capsules and powder for redistribution in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. The investigation yielded 10 kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, firearms, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets.

“In a coordinated effort across three states, the FBI and our partners worked seamlessly to degrade the capabilities of a criminal enterprise that endangered the lives of our children and neighbors by pedaling illegal narcotics into our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Shanahan of the FBI-Pittsburgh Division. “Today, their illicit activities came to an end.”

After a large-scale arrest operation in the region, 11 of the 82 defendants are still at-large. Investigators are searching for:

• Charles Delroy Singletary, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland
• Jeffrey Lee Pullen, age 52, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
• Benjamin Paul Knotts, age 48, of Charles Town, West Virginia
• Haile Madalynn Speaks, age 21, of Charles Town, West Virginia
• James Sanford, age 39, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• John Ernest LeCluse, age 39, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
• Shelby Elizabeth Thompson, age 29, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
• April Dawn Wentzell, age 36, of Ranson, West Virginia
• Daniel Lee Corbin, Jr., age 35, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Kendall Axavier Baker, age 31, of Winchester Virginia
• David Lewis Pennington, Jr., age 20, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

If you have any information, call 1-877-926-8332 or go to https://www.usmarshals.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

This case was a collaborative investigative effort that includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division, Baltimore Field Division, and Richmond Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service;  the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office;  Stafford County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff's Office (Virginia).

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

List of defendants: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/us-v-gary-brown-jr-et-al-defendant-list

View the indictment here: 

U.S. v. Brown et al indictment

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has added a new prosecutor to its Clarksburg location.

United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced that Will Rhee has joined his office and will handle a diverse criminal caseload, to include violent crime and white-collar cases. Rhee was a professor at the West Virginia University College of Law for the past 15 years and prior to that, served as a Trial Attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Rhee is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army, having received numerous awards to include the Army Commendation Medal.

“I am thrilled to add Will Rhee to our team,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “His deep knowledge of the law, his prior experience with the Department of Justice, and his commitment to public service make him the perfect fit to assist with the busy criminal docket in Clarksburg and elsewhere.”

Rhee earned his undergraduate degrees from Yale and his law degree from Northwestern.

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CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kayla Marie Cline, age 32, of Flemington, West Virginia, was sentenced to 148 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Cline was operating a methamphetamine distribution operation from a home in Taylor County. Cline worked with others to travel to and from the Morgantown area to meet her supplier or to conduct drug sales. Investigators connected more than three pounds of methamphetamine to Cline.

The case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

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WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Raymond Michael Hardmon, also known as “Dro,” 38, of Bellaire, Ohio, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia.

Hardmon pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine. According to court documents, Hardmon was involved in the trafficking of controlled substances in the Wheeling area. Investigators connected Hardmon to more than 400 grams of cocaine.

The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.

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MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Timmey Leo Lambert, Sr., age 59, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for drug trafficking.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Timmey Lambert, Sr., was selling methamphetamine in Hampshire County. Investigators searched Lambert’s home and found methamphetamine, 16 firearms, $4100 in counterfeit money, and a bulletproof vest.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funding initiative, investigated.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Lee Tyndall, Jr., 45, of Brooklyn Park, Maryland, was sentenced to 60 months for a firearms trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Tyndall stole 13 firearms from licensed firearms dealers in Mineral County. Tyndall pawned several of the stolen firearms and sold one to a confidential informant. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

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MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Michael Reckert, 29, of Purcellville, Virginia, has admitted to possessing and selling privately-manufactured and unregistered firearms.

According to court documents, Reckert was advertising and selling the firearms on social media. Reckert was found with a privately manufactured short-barreled AR-15 style rifle that wasn’t registered.

As a part of the plea agreement, Reckert will forfeit dozens of firearms, firearms parts, rounds of ammunition, and tools.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; and the Loudon County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three men were sentenced on federal charges related to domestic violence.

Brian Michael Lewis, age 42, of Levels, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hampshire County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a domestic dispute at Lewis’s home. During a search of the home, officers found 8 firearms along with ammunition. Lewis cannot possess guns due to prior drug and larceny charges in Virginia.

Derik Wayne Bowers, age 44, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 41 months for stalking. According to court documents, Bowers harassed and intimidated his ex-girlfriend in Berkeley County and used social media to attempt to undermine her online business. Despite being subject to a protective order, Bowers placed more than 800 phone calls to her during a 48-hour period and sent nearly 2,000 text messages in six months.

Rodney Allen Mayhew, age 43, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months for unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, while responding to a domestic violence call, officers recovered two pistols and a rifle in Mayhew’s bedroom. Mayhew is prohibited from possessing guns due to a prior conviction.

The Lewis case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI investigated the Bowers case. The Mayhew case was also investigated by the ATF, along with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the Bowers case on behalf of the government.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the Mayhew and Lewis cases.

U.S. District Court Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four people have been sentenced for drug trafficking crimes in the Northern District of West Virginia.

• Gary Weldon, also known as “Fatboy,” age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today to 100 months for two heroin charges.
• James Davis Graham, also known as “JD Graham,” age 41, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months for selling heroin and fentanyl.
• Jeanette L. Henkel, age 32, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 41 months for charges of selling heroin and fentanyl.
• Jonathan Ross Blankenbaker, age 32, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years of probation for eutylone trafficking.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Weldon, Graham, and Henkel were working with others to transport heroin and fentanyl from Baltimore to Hampshire County, West Virginia. Court documents show that in addition to the sale of drugs, firearms were trafficked and traded for drugs. The investigation yielded several firearms, ammunition, and thousands of dollars in cash.

In a separate case, Blankenbaker sold eutylone in Berkeley County and elsewhere.  According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators searched a motel room in Martinsburg that was being used to sell eutylone and methamphetamine and found both drugs and more than $12,500 in cash.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the Weldon, Graham, and Henkel investigation. The Task Force consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office assisted.

The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated the Blankenbaker matter. The Task Force consists of the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Ranson Police Department; and the Charles Town Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

NEW MARTINSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have been indicted for stealing the identities of West Virginians and withdrawing cash from their credit union accounts.

Benjamin Britford, 33, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Brandon Watkins, 29, of Douglasville, Georgia have been charged with making unauthorized transactions from accounts at Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union in New Martinsville. In July and August of 2023, Britford and Watkins obtained the personal identifying information and account numbers for numerous credit union customers and then withdrew cash from those accounts. The defendants withdrew more than $10,000 in cash from accounts in West Virginia and withdrew additional funds from accounts of Bayer customers in South Carolina during the same time period.

Britford and Watkins are each charged with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank larceny. Watkins faces an additional charge of aggravated identity theft.

United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer T. Conklin is prosecuting the case.

The FBI investigated.

 

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Manassas, Virginia man was indicted today for engaging in sexual activity with a ten-year-old girl he met on social media.

According to court documents, Daniel Eliazar Ramos Rosa, 23, exchanged over 1,000 messages, photos, and videos with the victim via Snapchat, pressuring her for photos and sexual favors. Rosa then traveled to the victim’s Harpers Ferry home, climbed into her bedroom window, and engaged in sexual activity with her. Rosa filmed himself having sex with the girl before fleeing after her father entered the room, leaving behind shoes, clothing, and sex toys.

“This case is a grim reminder of how sexual predators utilize social media to gain access to children,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I applaud the work of the FBI, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and the federal prosecutors in my office for bringing Mr. Rosa to justice.”

Rosa is charged with coercion and enticement of a minor for sex, travel with intent to engage in sex with a minor, and production of child pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting this case.

The FBI and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department investigated.

 

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A West Virginia man was sentenced to prison today for his attempt to intimidate and influence jurors and witnesses in the Pittsburgh Tree of Life trial.

Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 45, of Follansbee, was sentenced to 78 months in prison.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Lloyd threatened jurors and witnesses involved in the recent trial for the Tree of Life shooter, Robert Bowers. Throughout the proceedings, Lloyd made threatening social media posts and website comments, and sent intimidating emails. Lloyd, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, admitted that he engaged in this conduct because of the actual or perceived ties to the Jewish community of the witnesses and the victims of Bowers.

On September 19, 2023, Lloyd entered a guilty plea to obstruction of the due administration of justice.

United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph Bernard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Marysville, Washington man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for traveling to West Virginia to have sex with a child.

Nathaniel James Davis, age 34, was sentenced today by Chief Judge Thomas Kleeh after having previously pled guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in sexual act with a minor, and commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis, a registered sex offender, began an online relationship with a 13-year-old from Barbour County. Davis then traveled from Washington state to West Virginia to meet with the child for sex but was intercepted by law enforcement. 

Davis was required to register as a sex offender because of his conviction for communication with a minor for sexual contact and child pornography charges in Whatcom County Superior Court in Bellingham, Washington in 2016.

In a separate case, Maurice Monroe Cato, III, age 49, of Gerrardstown, West Virginia, was sentenced to 10 years for possession of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, Cato was posting and sharing child pornography. A search of Cato’s phone revealed more than 600 images along with videos of minors, including children under the age of five. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the Davis case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the Cato case.

The West Virginia State Police investigated both cases.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Edward Maxwell, age 44, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking and unlawful firearm possession.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Maxwell was selling fentanyl from his home. Investigators searched the property and found fentanyl and a pistol. Maxwell has prior felony convictions which prevents him from having firearms.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia, man was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for selling thousands of heroin and fentanyl stamps in Harrison County.

James Curtis Jones, also known as “Donk,” 26, pled guilty in August 2022 to a distribution charge near a protected location, Emmanuel Christian School in Clarksburg. Jones was supplying other dealers in the Clarksburg area with heroin and fentanyl and investigators determined that Jones was responsible for the distribution of more than one kilogram of the mixture. During a search of Jones’s home, officers found additional heroin, fentanyl, and approximately $10,000 in cash. 

Jones has a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as well as a felony conviction from Beaver County, Pennsylvania for use of communications device to engage in heroin trafficking.

The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephen C. Crawford, age 44, a federal inmate formerly housed at United States Penitentiary Hazleton, was found guilty of the death of a fellow inmate.

After a five-day trial, a jury found Crawford guilty of voluntary manslaughter, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily harm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Crawford used a prison-made weapon to stab another inmate multiple times. The inmate later died of his injuries.

Crawford faces up to 15 more years in federal prison for the manslaughter charge and faces up to 10 years for each of the assault charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Rebecca Mae Blake, age 41, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for cocaine distribution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Blake sold crack cocaine from her home on Fulton Street in Wheeling. Blake pled guilty to the charge earlier this year in connection to a larger drug operation in Ohio County led by Rocco Pandoli, also of Wheeling.

Blake has multiple prior felony drug convictions, to include a conviction in federal court for cocaine distribution in 2005, and three convictions in Ohio County (W.Va.) Circuit Court in 2017, also for cocaine distribution.

Pandoli was convicted earlier this year and sentenced to 51 months in prison.

The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Rashun Rafael Suncar, also known as “Blackie,” age 37, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced to 92 months for distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Suncar sold pills counterfeit pills containing fentanyl near the Elks Playground in East Wheeling. Investigators searched Suncar’s residence and found additional drugs along with a 9mm Taurus pistol.

The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jack Lee Oliver, age 55, of Rivesville, West Virginia, has been charged with filing false tax returns.

Oliver was indicted on 32 counts involving the preparation and filing of false tax returns. According to court documents, Oliver is the owner of an insurance sales and tax return preparation business, Insurance Depot, in Fairmont, West Virginia. Oliver is accused of making false claims on his personal tax returns and tax filings for customers, resulting in overpayments of more than $800,000 from the Internal Revenue Service.

Oliver is facing up to three years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The Internal Revenue Service investigated.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bobby Allen Stark, age 52, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months in federal prison for falsifying his passport.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Stark was charged with sexual assault of a child in El Paso County, Colorado in April 2022 and ordered to surrender his passport. Upon returning to his home in Martinsburg, Stark applied for a new passport, claiming on the application form that he had lost the old one. He was able to obtain a new passport and shortly before his scheduled plea hearing in the Colorado case, Stark flew to Guyana, a country on South America’s North Atlantic coast, where he was later apprehended.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Kane and Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated. The U.S. Marshals Service assisted.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Warren Thomas Gray, also known as “Stix,” age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to24 months for his role in an Eastern Panhandle fentanyl trafficking operation.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Gray was one of the ringleaders of the fentanyl trafficking operation, supplying fentanyl from Baltimore to Shanklin and others to distribute in Hampshire, Mineral, and Morgan Counties. During the investigation, officers seized several firearms, ammunition, and U.S. currency.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the investigation. The Task Force consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office assisted.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

###

 

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Twenty-six people have been indicted by a federal grand jury for the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.

Individuals from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia were charged with drug trafficking in an indictment unsealed today. According to court documents, Dorian Scott Burks, also known as “Cash,” age 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, supplied methamphetamine to Andrew Ross Hose, age 54, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Hose and others redistributed methamphetamine, as well as with fentanyl and cocaine, in Hampshire, Morgan, and Berkeley Counties. During the investigation, officers seized drugs, firearms, and United States currency.

“The supply of drugs from Pittsburgh to the Eastern Panhandle has been disrupted thanks to the excellent work of the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “Law enforcement will continue to use every tool available to pursue and to prosecute out-of-town dealers who operate for profit in West Virginia.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Berkeley County and Hampshire County Prosecuting Attorney’s Offices assisted.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

List of defendants: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/case-document/list-defendants-us-v-hose-et-al

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Nolte, 52, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for wire fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Nolte fraudulently applied for and received CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $645,717. To obtain these loans, Nolte falsely represented an interest in business or created the business and submitted fraudulent documents to obtain the loans. The loans were for PGO Veterans Services, PG Health, RJS Catering and Dental Care Plus. Nolte also obtained forgiveness from the Small Business Administration for these loans, falsely certifying that he used the money for payroll expenses.  Nolte instead spent the money on personal expenses.

Nolte was also ordered to pay $684,154.44 to the Small Business Administration which includes the initial loan amounts, interest on the loans prior to forgiveness, and processing fees. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

Anyone aware of COVID fraud can report it via email to wvfraud@fbi.gov, by telephone to 304-234-0100, or via regular mail to the U.S. Attorney, P.O. Box 591, Wheeling, WV 26003, Attn: COVID Fraud Unit.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christopher Neal Boram, II, age 38, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 80 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Boram, a convicted felon, persuaded a female to purchase him a 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer in Morgantown. Investigators searched Boram’s hotel room and found the 9mm pistol’s box, another firearm, ammunition, and controlled substances. Further investigation revealed that Boram sold the 9mm, along with two other firearms, to a convicted felon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Patrick Allen Boyd, age 47, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Boyd uploaded an image of child pornography, generating a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A search of Boyd’s home and devices yielded nearly 200 child pornography images involving prepubescent and pubescent males.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The West Virginia State Police investigated.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Donald Jack Getz, age 36, of Grafton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Getz was working with others to sell methamphetamine in Taylor and Monongalia Counties. Getz’s home, vehicle, and a storage unit were searched during the investigation. Officers found more than two pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, drug paraphernalia, and multiple cell phones.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

Pictured L-R: U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Parsons; U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, Northern District of West Virginia.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - Wheeling native Jeffrey Parsons has been tabbed to lead civil rights enforcement efforts in Northern West Virginia.

United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced today that Parsons has been hired to prosecute hate crimes, disability and housing rights violations, and the enforcement of laws that prohibit discrimination based upon race, color, national origin, sex, and religion.

“Jeff is a tremendous addition to our team,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “He has a strong desire to serve the public, to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and to defend the rights of those in need.”

Parsons comes to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the private sector, where he handled consumer protection, employment, and complex litigation matters. Prior to that, he served for thirteen years as the career law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge John Preston Bailey. He has served on the board of Appalachian Outreach, Inc., which aids poverty and disaster-stricken residents of West Virginia, and as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in the legal system.

Parsons received both his undergraduate and law degrees from West Virginia University.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Bobby Cobb, age 53, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has been charged with interstate threats and firearms charges.

Cobb was indicted today on four counts of interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Cobb allegedly sent threatening emails and text messages to his victim over several weeks. The communications threatened to injure and kill the victim, her family members, and friends. Officers conducted a search warrant on Cobb’s home and found a shotgun. Cobb has a previous conviction of domestic violence, prohibiting him from having firearms.

Cobb is facing up to 5 years for each of the threat counts and faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force investigated.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld joined with leaders from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Pittsburgh Division and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for training yesterday in response to rising antisemitism.

Charleston and Wheeling synagogues co-hosted the joint training session, presented by AJC and part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate (UAH) Community Outreach Program.

Thompson, Ihlenfeld and other speakers noted that planning for this training had begun well before the Hamas terror attacks and resulting conflict.

“This event was essential well before October 7, and is certainly essential now,” Thompson said. “Whether it is anti-Jewish hate, or anti-Muslim hate, or any other form of hate, we must and we will stand against all of it.”

“Hate-fueled crimes were a problem prior to October 7, and have only gotten worse since that day,” Ihlenfeld said. “This event provided a great opportunity to share information about the nature of the threat and the resources that the Justice Department brings to bear.”

The training aimed to enhance the understanding of the problem, identify effective responses to hate incidents, and empower people to speak out.

“This training was filled with invaluable information for the community,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “With antisemitism and hate crimes on the rise, these are serious crimes that not only affect one person, but an entire population and community. The public plays an important role in these cases. They are our eyes and ears in the communities we serve. We are constantly working to address these threats locally while focusing on building a relationship of trust and maintaining open dialogue so the community knows they can come to us with something suspicious or threatening.”

The training featured a message of perseverance and strength from Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the target of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. Myers spoke of the 2018 terrorist attack and its continuing impact as well as the overwhelming response from an already supportive community.

“What an incredible message that was and continues to be to the rest of the world, that when people care deeply about each other, so much is possible,” Myers said. “I am someone still with hope that despite the horrors I witnessed that day, that we are able to find ways to be together, that we can rebuild community.”

The training included an overview of the trial and conviction of the Tree of Life assailant. It also included the subsequent guilty plea in the Northern District of West Virginia from a self-proclaimed white supremacist who targeted jurors and witnesses, including first responders, through threatening social media posts, website comments, and emails during the trial.

AJC leaders provided examples of antisemitism and how they can invoke ancient and medieval stereotypes, dehumanizing language and other falsehoods. They also cited recent polling of U.S. adults that found that the overwhelming majority, 91 percent, identified antisemitism as a problem for everyone that affects society as a whole.

“Antisemitism is not a Jewish problem. Period,” said AJC Washington Regional Director Alan Ronkin. “It is a societal problem. And when people recognize that, we can be a lot more effective in standing up to anti-Jewish hate.”

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christopher Harp, age 38, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has been charged with possession and receipt of child pornography.

According to court documents, Harp allegedly possessed and received child pornographic images online. Some of the images involved children under the age of 12.  

Harp is facing up to 20 years for the possession of child pornography charge and faces at least five years and up to 20 years in federal prison for each of three counts of receipt of child pornography. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Moorefield, West Virginia, men were sentenced today for methamphetamine trafficking.

Steven Ray Davy, Jr., age 37, was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison for 10 counts involving methamphetamine trafficking and firearms. Eric Wayne Baker, age 41, was sentenced to 52 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Davy and Baker were working with others to sell methamphetamine in Hardy County. A search warrant at Davy’s home uncovered methamphetamine, pills containing fentanyl, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, several firearms, and a video surveillance system. During a traffic stop, officers found methamphetamine inside Baker’s vehicle.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An Ohio man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for solicitation of child pornography.  

Steven Wolford, age 26, of Cadiz, Ohio, was ordered to serve 168 months in federal prison after admitting to enticing and receiving sexually explicit images from a 9-year-old girl in Wetzel County, West Virginia. Wolford communicated with the victim through Facebook Messenger and officers discovered child pornography on two cellular phones that were seized from him during the execution of a search warrant.

“Thanks to the excellent work of law enforcement, Mr. Wolford won’t be able to victimize anyone for the next fourteen years,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “Predators like Wolford walk among us, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to do everything in its power to protect children in our community.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The case was investigated by the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department and the Cadiz Police Department.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jesse James Wilson, age 40, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for methamphetamine and firearms charges.

Wilson pled guilty in March 2023 to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearm during in furtherance of drug trafficking. This week, he was ordered to serve a 188-month sentence. According to court documents and statements made in court, Wilson was selling methamphetamine in Harrison County and a search of his home yielded drugs, firearms, and $9,000 in cash.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, both HIDTA-funded initiatives; the West Virginia State Police, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department; and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Wheeling, West Virginia man was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for the distribution of cocaine.  

Antonio Cunningham, age 46, was ordered to serve 188 months in prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, Cunningham sold cocaine to a confidential informant on multiple occasions earlier this year at his residence on South Broadway Street in Wheeling. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant at his home and recovered cocaine along with a loaded Taurus model G2C pistol. Cunningham has two prior felony drug convictions and was determined to be a career offender under the guidelines set forth by the United States Sentencing Commission.

“Repeat drug offenders like Mr. Cunningham won’t receive any breaks in the federal criminal justice system,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “I’m pleased that the residents of Wheeling Island won’t have to worry about him for a long, long time.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The case was investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Taskforce, a HIDTA-funded initiative.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Edward America, III, age 46, of Salem, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for possession of an unregistered firearm.  

According to court documents and statements made in court, America fired shots at law enforcement officers who were attempting to execute a search warrant at his home in May of 2022. America fled the scene but was later apprehended. Officers found eleven firearms, including an assault-style rifle in the area near where America fired shots at law enforcement, along with two silencers and assorted ammunition. America is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous conviction in state court in Doddridge County, West Virginia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, West Virginia State Police, Doddridge County Sheriff’s Office, and Salem Police Department.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - A Virginia man has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for methamphetamine trafficking.

Jason Knapp Downey, age 39, of Covington, Virginia, was sentenced to 154 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Downey obtained the illegal substance from Cleveland, Ohio and brought it to Weirton, West Virginia to be distributed. Officers executed a search warrant on Downey’s residence and retrieved two digital scales, a large amount of pure methamphetamine, United States currency, and ammunition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force investigated the case.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people have been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking operation in Hampshire and Mineral Counties.

Dylan Carl Keckler, age 30, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced today to six years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Keckler sold fentanyl with a purple hue on several occasions. During a search warrant at Keckler ‘s home, officers found fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.

Lisa Gail Crouse, age 42, of Cross Junction, Virginia, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Crouse was one of the distributors in the operation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the investigation. The Task Force consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office assisted.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

 

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Destiny Rebecca Somersall, age 41, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison for sex trafficking of a child.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Somersall befriended a Florida man, 76-year-old John Balch, who requested photos and videos of a minor in exchange for money and gifts. Somersall sent sexual photographs and videos of the minor. One of the videos included a second victim. Somersall later agreed to drive the teen to a hotel in Maryland for sexual contact with Balch for money on multiple occasions. Investigators found at least 60 cash transactions between Balch and Somersall over a period of two years totaling $13,725.  

Balch was indicted in the District of Maryland and pled guilty to related charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland assisted.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  

For more information on human trafficking, go to www.stophumantraffickingwv.org. To report a potential human trafficking crime, email USWVN-Report@usdoj.gov or call 304-234-0100.         

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kathryn Annette Batis, age 38, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Batis, also known as “Miss Kitty,” operated a drug house in Martinsburg for a multi-state organized drug trafficking business dubbed the “19th Street Enterprise.” The investigation uncovered nearly $65,000 in cash deposits over an 11-month period believed to be drug proceeds.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh heard testimony today that the enterprise sold drugs, committed acts of violence, laundered money, and committed fraud in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The business was based in Philadelphia, but the operation had drug houses in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and elsewhere.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the West Virginia Air National Guard investigated. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office assisted.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – As part of the monthlong observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, United States Attorneys Will Thompson and William Ihlenfeld are proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $340,618 to West Virginia to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

OVW awarded the $340,618 under the State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program for the 2023 fiscal year to enhance the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.

The awards consist of $108,034 for the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (WVFRIS) and $232,584 for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WVCADV).

“For decades, both the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Foundation for Rape Information and Services have performed a critical role in providing education, awareness and expertise to their licensed programs, which serve all 55 West Virginia counties,” U.S. Attorney Thompson said. “I am pleased to announce that West Virginia has been awarded this funding from the Office on Violence Against Women.”

“Domestic violence offenders are some of the most dangerous individuals in our communities and thus a comprehensive, well-funded response is necessary,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This funding will help us to combat the problem and support survivors throughout West Virginia.”

The role by WVFRIS and WVCADV also extends to statewide working groups charged with systemically addressing sexual and domestic violence in West Virginia. They work alongside law enforcement officers, prosecutors, courts, hospitals, colleges and universities, survivors and other advocates to create comprehensive strategies and prevention plans to support victims in their safety and healing.

“Every day, a vast network of dedicated individuals helps domestic violence survivors access multiple pathways to safety, justice, and healing,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “OVW understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing domestic violence. These funds will enable communities to increase capacity and strengthen a coordinated community approach to prevent and address violence in more comprehensive ways tailored to their communities. Together, with our grantees, we are building a future where individuals and families can live and thrive without the threat of intimate partner violence.”

Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate about 41 percent of women and 26 percent of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. Domestic violence rates are even higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.

The West Virginia grants are among 496 announced nationwide this week that will reach Tribal nations, historically marginalized communities, underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, culturally specific communities, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, improving survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes.

 A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

 

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Xinjian “Kevin” He, a former West Virginia University professor, has been indicted on two counts of federal program fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Mr. He, age 41, was a professor in the University’s engineering department and allegedly embezzled federal grant funding, using the money to purchase clothing, furniture, home goods, and electronics for his personal use. The indictment was returned in November of 2020 but remained sealed because the defendant fled the country and wasn’t arrested until September 26, 2023, when he entered the United States from Canada and was apprehended in New York.

At a hearing today in Clarksburg federal court, a motion by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to detain Mr. He pending trial due to the risk of flight was granted.

The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of fraud.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the WVU Police Department investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over today’s proceedings.