Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson is joining with numerous partners to hold the HOPE (Healing, Opportunities and Possibilities to Empower) Family Drug Summit on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at the University of Charleston.

The daylong summit is free and will focus on West Virginia families impacted by Substance Use Disorder (SUD). The summit will bring SUD survivors, families, and the professionals who support them together to share information, build connections, foster collaboration and strengthen partnerships to provide HOPE to those suffering from SUD as well as their children and families.

“Whether it is a child, parent or other family member struggling with addiction or a loved one lost to an overdose, virtually no one in West Virginia has been left unaffected by the drug epidemic,” Thompson said. “This summit is about hope and showing that recovery is real, and that those suffering from the impact of SUD are not alone. This is another way to make our communities safer.”

Summit topics include the neurobiology of addiction, evidence-based mentoring for youth in foster and kinship care, and ways to navigate treatment, recovery and support systems. Summit attendees will hear from fellow West Virginians who have lost family members to overdoses and who have seen success on the road to recovery. Summit speakers will also provide overviews of the criminal and civil legal systems and detail the latest data tracking the drug crisis in the state.

The University of Charleston is hosting the main portion of the summit at the Geary Student Union Ballroom. Other summit partners are: the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisville Division; the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia; the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia; Jobs & Hope West Virginia; the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security; the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice; the West Virginia Fusion Center; West Virginia Public Defender Services; First Choice Services; Legal Aid of West Virginia; and Mission West Virginia.

Additional information about the summit, including a portal to register for this in-person event, is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/hope-family-drug-summit.

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

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Scott Christie, 38, of Petrolia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to four years of federal probation and ordered to pay $24,338 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Christie fraudulently obtained $24,338 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, while a resident of Leon, West Virginia.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between February 29, 2020, and August 22, 2020, and between February 27, 2021, and August 14, 2021, Christie fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits from WorkForce West Virginia, which administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Christie submitted a total of 50 weekly certifications to WorkForce West Virginia that failed to disclose his employment during those time periods. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Christie received 52 unemployment benefits payments from WorkForce West Virginia totaling $24,338 that he was not entitled to receive.

The unemployment benefits fraudulently obtained by Christie included supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of his fraudulent scheme, Christie falsely stated in the weekly certifications he submitted that he was unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-107.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Weslee Nathaniel Black, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a short-barrel shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers ordered Black to exit a vehicle on the 1300 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington and arrested him for grand larceny of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and seized a Hatfield Gun Company model PAS 12-gauge shotgun with a shortened barrel. Black admitted that he possessed the firearm, that he knew it had a shortened barrel when he purchased it, and that it was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Black knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on January 31, 2023.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-84.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Beecher Lee Shuler, 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Shuler sold approximately 3.48 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $275. Shuler admitted that he conducted the transaction at his Huntington residence and arranged the transaction beforehand with the confidential informant.

On July 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Shuler’s residence and seized cocaine, oxycodone, at least 3,787 tablets containing protonitazene, six firearms and approximately $1,111. Protonitazene is a synthetic opioid potentially more dangerous and deadly than fentanyl, and the seized tablets weighed approximately 813 grams.

Shuler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-151.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Michael Vernon Pinson Jr., 30, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2024, law enforcement officers responding to reports of an unresponsive male in a vehicle in Huntington encountered Pinson in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Officers searched the vehicle during the encounter and found a loaded Taurus model PT111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol in the vehicle.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pinson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 16, 2016.

Pinson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-149.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeff Allen Adkins, 66, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 12 years eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 8, 2022, Adkins was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Oak Hill. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 113 grams of fentanyl and 109 grams of methamphetamine. Adkins told officers he possessed the controlled substances and intended to distribute them.

Adkins has a long criminal that includes prior convictions for such offenses as grand larceny, breaking and entering, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a concealed weapon, hit and run, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Oak Hill Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess, Alexander A. Redmon and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-57.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Devontay Brian Johnson, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 3, 2022, Johnson sold approximately 20 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a vehicle parked along Wilson Place in Huntington.

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-24.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jaron Andrew O'Neal, 38, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators obtained a search warrant for a package addressed to a Barboursville address after a K9 alerted to the package. Investigators opened the package and found it contained approximately 1 kilogram of fentanyl. Investigators replaced the fentanyl with a sham substance and conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the Barboursville address. On January 24, 2023, O'Neal retrieved the package from the address and drove away with it in his vehicle. Investigators conducted a traffic stop of O’Neal’s vehicle and found the package in the vehicle. O’Neal told investigators that he retrieved the package believing that it contained controlled substances.

O'Neal is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-85.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – MacArthur Walker Jr., 58, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on January 8, 2025, to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees involving physical contact.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 4, 2024, Walker was driving a vehicle through the New River Gorge National Park area near Sandstone, West Virginia when a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. The officer smelled the odor of marijuana, and a passenger in Walker’s vehicle told the officer there was approximately 3.5 grams of marijuana in the vehicle.

The passenger provided the officer with the marijuana. The officer directed Walker to exit his vehicle and stand by the officer’s vehicle while the officer searched Walker’s vehicle. During the search, the officer found a brown briefcase containing a loaded Rossi .38 Special revolver, a holster, and .38 Special ammunition. After the officer found the firearm, Walker left his ordered position next to the officer’s vehicle and approached the officer. When the officer told him to turn around to be handcuffed, Walker drew back his fist and struck the left side of the officer’s body. The officer deployed a taser to stop Walker.

Walker has a long criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for first-degree theft, multiple controlled substances offenses, and third-offense driving while intoxicated.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Park Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Parker Bazzle II and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-88.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – MacArthur Walker Jr., 58, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on January 8, 2025, to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees involving physical contact.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 4, 2024, Walker was driving a vehicle through the New River Gorge National Park area near Sandstone, West Virginia when a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. The officer smelled the odor of marijuana, and a passenger in Walker’s vehicle told the officer there was approximately 3.5 grams of marijuana in the vehicle.

The passenger provided the officer with the marijuana. The officer directed Walker to exit his vehicle and stand by the officer’s vehicle while the officer searched Walker’s vehicle. During the search, the officer found a brown briefcase containing a loaded Rossi .38 Special revolver, a holster, and .38 Special ammunition. After the officer found the firearm, Walker left his ordered position next to the officer’s vehicle and approached the officer. When the officer told him to turn around to be handcuffed, Walker drew back his fist and struck the left side of the officer’s body. The officer deployed a taser to stop Walker.

Walker has a long criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for first-degree theft, multiple controlled substances offenses, and third-offense driving while intoxicated.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Park Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Parker Bazzle II and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-88.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph Daniel Skeens, 35, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2023, Skeens sold approximately 2.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for a new Rigid impact wrench that was still in its original packaging.

Skeens admitted to the transaction and further admitted to at least three additional transactions from October 2, 2023, through November 22, 2023, during which he distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in exchange for money or items of value such as tools and groceries that were shoplifted at his direction. The transactions occurred at or near Skeens’ residence in St. Albans.

The transactions by Skeens also included the sale of 3.46 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $50 on October 2, 2023, the sale of 1.34 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a Rigid rotary power hammer on November 18, 2023, and approximately 1 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for approximately $100 worth of groceries on November 22, 2023. Each transaction was with a confidential informant.

On October 2, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Skeens on Interstate 64 near Hurricane and seized approximately 220.98 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle. On October 23, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Skeens in Charleston and seized approximately 54.63 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm from the vehicle.

Skeens has a long criminal history with multiple prior convictions including for attempt to manufacture a controlled substance and possession of a stolen vehicle.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-200.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brice Allen Pomeroy, 26, of Hernshaw, pleaded guilty today to obstruction of mail.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 11, 2023, Pomeroy knowingly and willfully threw away approximately 227 pieces of mail by depositing a large plastic bad containing the mail pieces into a trash can located outside a gas service station in Charleston. At the time of the offense, Pomeroy was employed by a United States Postal Service vendor as a mail handler at the vendor’s facility in Charleston.

Pomeroy is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of six months in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a $5,000 fine. Pomeroy also owes $2,051.21 in restitution.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-2.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dr. Alexander V. Otellin, 57, formerly of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the unlawful distribution of oxycodone.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 27, 2017, Otellin distributed a quantity of oxycodone to a patient at his psychiatry practice in South Charleston. Otellin admitted that while his specialty was psychiatry, he treated the patient for pain management. Otellin further admitted that this distribution was without a legitimate medical purpose, outside the usual course of medical practice, and without proper authority.

Otellin distributed controlled substances to the patient starting on or about February 6, 2014, until on or about July 15, 2020. During this time period, Otellin knew the patient was receiving opiates from another physician. Urine screens indicated the patient was abusing heroin and fentanyl, yet Otellin continued to prescribe medications that are dangerous when combined with illegal unprescribed drugs.

For the first four years of this time period, Otellin did not review the patient’s medical history for substance abuse or habits or document a review of the database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. For approximately five months during this time period, Otellin wrote prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances for the patient without evaluating him.

Otellin also prescribed oxycodone to the patient’s wife for pain management instead of referring the patient’s wife to a pain management specialist. Otellin only conducted three urine drug screenings over a five-year period that would have revealed whether the patient’s wife was using the prescription as prescribed, diverting it to her husband, or using other drugs.

At least three pharmacists complained to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that Otellin’s prescribing practices appeared improper, including when he prescribed the opioid medication buprenorphine at dosages above clinically effective levels. One patient who received above-therapeutic buprenorphine prescriptions from Otellin also received the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, and the anti-seizure and pain medicine gabapentin from Otellin. This patient died from an overdose at age 41. The coroner indicated the cause of death was “due to Buprenorphine, Alprazolam and Gabapentin Intoxication.”

Another patient of Otellin’s also died from an overdose. Otellin prescribed alprazolam, the sedative zolpidem, and amphetamine salts, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to this patient. The patient’s probation officer notified Otellin in a letter that the patient was exchanging his prescription medication for methamphetamine. A bag of methamphetamine and multiple pill bottles from Otellin’s prescriptions for this patient were found in the patient’s home after his death. The medical examiner indicated the cause of death to be “combined fentanyl, alprazolam, and diazepam intoxication” and that the patient “consumed unprescribed and prescribed prescription drugs in the setting of chronic drug abuse.”

Otellin was believed to have fled the United States to Russia in order avoid prosecution following his indictment by a federal grand jury on September 22, 2021. Otellin possesses dual citizenship in the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia worked with INTERPOL Washington to issue an Interpol Red Notice for Otellin. In September 2023, Otellin entered the country of Armenia and was arrested and detained by Armenian authorities. U.S. Marshals took custody of Otellin in Armenia and transported him back to the United States, arriving in Charleston on April 20, 2024. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Armenian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Otellin.

Otellin has surrendered his medical license with the West Virginia Board of Medicine.

“Dr. Otellin repeatedly prescribed opiates, stimulants and other drugs outside the normal course of medical practice in communities that continue to suffer from the overdose crisis,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) for the investigative work in this case, and the U.S. Marshals Service and the Office of International Affairs for ensuring Dr. Otellin faced justice.”

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division – Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Owen Reynolds and Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-159.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dr. Alexander V. Otellin, 57, formerly of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the unlawful distribution of oxycodone.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 27, 2017, Otellin distributed a quantity of oxycodone to a patient at his psychiatry practice in South Charleston. Otellin admitted that while his specialty was psychiatry, he treated the patient for pain management. Otellin further admitted that this distribution was without a legitimate medical purpose, outside the usual course of medical practice, and without proper authority.

Otellin distributed controlled substances to the patient starting on or about February 6, 2014, until on or about July 15, 2020. During this time period, Otellin knew the patient was receiving opiates from another physician. Urine screens indicated the patient was abusing heroin and fentanyl, yet Otellin continued to prescribe medications that are dangerous when combined with illegal unprescribed drugs.

For the first four years of this time period, Otellin did not review the patient’s medical history for substance abuse or habits or document a review of the database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. For approximately five months during this time period, Otellin wrote prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances for the patient without evaluating him.

Otellin also prescribed oxycodone to the patient’s wife for pain management instead of referring the patient’s wife to a pain management specialist. Otellin only conducted three urine drug screenings over a five-year period that would have revealed whether the patient’s wife was using the prescription as prescribed, diverting it to her husband, or using other drugs.

At least three pharmacists complained to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that Otellin’s prescribing practices appeared improper, including when he prescribed the opioid medication buprenorphine at dosages above clinically effective levels. One patient who received above-therapeutic buprenorphine prescriptions from Otellin also received the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, and the anti-seizure and pain medicine gabapentin from Otellin. This patient died from an overdose at age 41. The coroner indicated the cause of death was “due to Buprenorphine, Alprazolam and Gabapentin Intoxication.”

Another patient of Otellin’s also died from an overdose. Otellin prescribed alprazolam, the sedative zolpidem, and amphetamine salts, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to this patient. The patient’s probation officer notified Otellin in a letter that the patient was exchanging his prescription medication for methamphetamine. A bag of methamphetamine and multiple pill bottles from Otellin’s prescriptions for this patient were found in the patient’s home after his death. The medical examiner indicated the cause of death to be “combined fentanyl, alprazolam, and diazepam intoxication” and that the patient “consumed unprescribed and prescribed prescription drugs in the setting of chronic drug abuse.”

Otellin was believed to have fled the United States to Russia in order avoid prosecution following his indictment by a federal grand jury on September 22, 2021. Otellin possesses dual citizenship in the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia worked with INTERPOL Washington to issue an Interpol Red Notice for Otellin. In September 2023, Otellin entered the country of Armenia and was arrested and detained by Armenian authorities. U.S. Marshals took custody of Otellin in Armenia and transported him back to the United States, arriving in Charleston on April 20, 2024. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Armenian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Otellin.

Otellin has surrendered his medical license with the West Virginia Board of Medicine.

“Dr. Otellin repeatedly prescribed opiates, stimulants and other drugs outside the normal course of medical practice in communities that continue to suffer from the overdose crisis,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) for the investigative work in this case, and the U.S. Marshals Service and the Office of International Affairs for ensuring Dr. Otellin faced justice.”

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division – Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Owen Reynolds and Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-159.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thomas McNeil Hedrick II, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 26, 2023, Hedrick entered a Shrewsbury residence looking for his girlfriend while armed with a Ruger model AR-556 semi-automatic rifle loaded with a 60-round drum magazine and equipped with a bipod. While in the residence, Hedrick repeatedly pointed the rifle at his girlfriend and others while demanding that his girlfriend leave with him.

Hedrick admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms, and that he sought to conceal the loaded semi-automatic rifle under his jacket when he entered and left the residence. Hedrick further admitted that surveillance video at the residence captured his actions.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hedrick knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction for wanton endangerment in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 1, 2022.

Hedrick has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for domestic assault, violation of a protective order, possession of a controlled substance, and being a person prohibited from possessing firearms.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the result.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-56.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jalen O. Thomas, 27, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 27, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Thomas was staying. During the search, officers seized a Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm semiautomatic handgun, a loaded Glock model 17 Gen 5 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine capable of holding 40 rounds, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver. Thomas admitted to possessing the seized firearms.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for felony fleeing in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 11, 2018.

The Court concluded that Thomas possessed firearms to facilitate drug trafficking. The Glock handgun seized on November 27, 2023, was found on a couch next to a package containing methamphetamine that was delivered to the Beckley residence as part of a controlled delivery shortly before officers executed the search warrant. Investigators intercepted the package before it was delivered, and found it contained over 400 grams of methamphetamine. Investigators removed most of the methamphetamine and replaced it with a sham substance before delivering the package to the residence.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-197.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Devin I. Cresce, 28, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about July 13, 2023, Cresce sold approximately 53 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $500 while in a vehicle outside the Crossroads Mall in Mount Hope. Cresce admitted to the transaction. Cresce further admitted to selling approximately 80 grams of methamphetamine for $750 on July 18, 2023, approximately 24 grams of fentanyl for $1,800 on July 28, 2023, and approximately 62 grams of methamphetamine for $750 on August 8, 2023. Each distribution occurred at Cresce’s residence and involved the same confidential informant.

On or about August 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cresce’s residence and seized approximately 94.5 grams of fentanyl and 63 grams of methamphetamine. Cresce admitted that he intended to distribute these controlled substances in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.

Cresce is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Central West Virginia Task Force.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-92.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cameron Drake Newsome, 25, of Williamson, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about November 1, 2019, Newsome used a cell phone to take two photographs of an approximately 3-year-old child in Williamson while the child was naked from the waist down and with the child’s genitals as the focal point of the images. Newsome admitted to taking the photographs and to storing them on an online file storage account. By storing those images in the online file storage account, Newsome transported the images in and affecting interstate commerce via the internet. Newsome further admitted that he stored numerous other images and videos in his online file storage accounts depicting minors, including prepubescent children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Newsome is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Newsome must also register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Unit.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-111.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Elliot J. Santiago, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today to time served and five years of supervised release for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

According to court documents and statements made in court, Santiago was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction for first-degree sexual abuse in Monongalia County Circuit Court on August 28, 2019. From on or about May 30, 2023 to on or about October 25, 2023, Santiago failed to provide notification that he had traveled from Charleston, West Virginia, to Toledo, Ohio and then to Brooklyn, New York.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

Santiago served approximately one year and two months in custody. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.

SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-174.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mannie Lamar Terry, also known as “Primo” and “J,” 37,  of Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced today to two years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2023, Terry sold approximately 4.5 grams of fentanyl for $300 to a confidential informant in Beckley. Terry admitted to that transaction and to selling approximately 4.5 grams of fentanyl for $300 to the confidential informant in Beckley on March 13, 2023.

Terry has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for assault with intent to do great bodily harm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and multiple controlled substance possession offenses.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-59.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Wilbur Curtis Arnold Jr., 59, of White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2024, law enforcement officers found a Winchester model 190 .22-caliber rifle at Arnold’s residence while arresting him on a warrant. Arnold told officers the rifle belonged to him. The rifle had been reported stolen on June 12, 2012.

On June 30, 2023, Arnold brought a Rock Island Armory model 1911 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun to a White Sulphur Springs business, where he sold the firearm for $300. Arnold presented his identification and signed a purchase agreement for the sale of the gun.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arnold knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 7, 2016.

Arnold has a long criminal history that also includes three convictions for domestic battery and convictions for violating a protective, battery, assault, DUI, and multiple additional controlled substance offenses.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lewisburg Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-61.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Allen Clay Jr., 58, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution for sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor female and obstructing the resulting investigation. Clay must also register as a sex offender.

Clay was the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department and a deputy with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the offenses. Evidence at trial proved that Clay paid a total of $100 to co-defendant Kristen Naylor-Legg to have sex with her 17-year-old minor female relative on two separate occasions in June 2020.

During both incidents, Clay wore his Gauley Bridge Police uniform, badge, duty belt, and service firearm. The first incident occurred at or near Clay’s Gauley Bridge-issued vehicle on a rural Fayette County road. The second incident took place inside the former Gauley Bridge High School, in a basement office reserved for the Gauley Bridge Police Department. Investigators were able to retrieve DNA evidence from a washcloth discarded in the office.

After the minor female reported both incidents, Clay sought to persuade Naylor-Legg to lie to law enforcement about what happened. Clay also asked a law enforcement officer if his criminal conduct could be covered up.

Following four days of trial, a federal jury found Clay guilty on April 28, 2023 of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice.

“Today’s sentence reflects the incalculable harm Larry Allen Clay Jr. inflicted on his minor victim, his community, and the public’s trust of law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “He failed his oath to protect the public and uphold the law. But Clay also failed to anticipate his victim’s courage. Despite everything she endured, she came forward. Because of this survivor’s bravery and resolve, he was brought to justice.”

Naylor-Legg, 31, of Gauley Bridge, was sentenced to nine years in prison on August 31, 2023 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18.

Thompson commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Monica Dillon tried the case, securing guilty verdicts on all four counts against Clay.

Members of the public are urged to report suspected instances of child sex trafficking through a toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or online at www.ice.gov/tips.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-62.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Evann Robinson, 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2023, Robinson sold a controlled substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley.

On May 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Robinson was living and seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and $9,350 including $40 in recorded buy money.

Robinson has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for assault with intent to do great bodily harm, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and prisoner possessing weapons.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-198.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terrence Jay Mason, 31, of Charleston, was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2023, Mason sold a total of approximately 74 grams of methamphetamine over the course of three transactions, each time to a confidential informant in Charleston. Mason admitted to the April 6, 2023, transaction, during which he sold approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant.

On May 2, 2023, law enforcement officers obtained an arrest warrant for Mason and a search warrant for his person, and entered a Frame Street residence in Charleston to execute the warrants. Officers found Mason in a bathroom attempting to flush a large sum of U.S. currency and methamphetamine. Officers also saw a tactical shotgun, a semi-automatic rifle, and large quantities of controlled substances in plain view in the residence. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence and seized approximately 140 grams of methamphetamine, 44 grams of fentanyl, five loaded firearms including the shotgun and semi-automatic rifle, and $8,724.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Street Crimes Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel D. Marsh and Francesca C. Rollo prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-34.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson and law enforcement officials will hold a press conference on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 3 p.m. to discuss the sentencing of Larry Allen Clay Jr.

The press conference is contingent upon the completion of the sentencing hearing, scheduled for 11 a.m.

WHAT: Press conference for the sentencing of Larry Allen Clay Jr.

WHEN: Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 3 p.m.

WHERE: Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston, Fourth Floor, Suite 4000

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

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Leon Sowards, 35, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sowards admitted that he purchased a Taurus model Public Defender Judge Poly .45-caliber/.410-gauge revolver from an individual in June 2023. Sowards further admitted that he knew the individual had stolen the firearm. Sowards was later confronted about the stolen firearm being in his possession. On June 21, 2023, Sowards met with the individual in a Hurricane parking lot and returned the firearm. Sowards admitted that he knew the serial number had been removed from the firearm at the time he returned it to the individual.

Federal law prohibits a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sowards knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Putnam County Magistrate Court on April 20, 2012.

Sowards is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-147.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Adrian Horton, also known as “Big Guy” and “Fat Boy,” 23, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Monroe Avenue residence in Huntington where Horton was staying. Officers seized over 40 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, a Century CAHG2797-N 7.62x39mm semi-automatic firearm, also known as a “Micro Draco,” with a high-capacity magazine, and a loaded Glock 17 9mm pistol. Horton admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances, intended to distribute them, and used the Huntington residence to distributed various kinds of controlled substances.

Horton further admitted that he possessed the seized firearms to protect his drugs and drug proceeds and for protection during drug transactions, and that he distributed various drugs with a co-conspirator for several months prior to the March 28, 2022 search.

Horton also admitted that he aided and abetted the straw purchase of firearms on multiple occasions. Horton and the co-conspirator gave cash to their regular drug buyers and directed them to buy firearms on their behalf. The straw purchasers falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were purchasing them for Horton and the co-conspirator. Horton and the co-conspirator compensated the straw purchasers with drugs.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-5..

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brian Scott Murray, 51, was sentenced today to one year and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $45,205.60 in restitution for injuring property of the United States in excess of $1,000.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2024, Murray threw multiple rocks at the Sidney L. Christie U. S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Huntington. Murray admitted that he threw the rocks at windows on the west side of the building and broke the outer layers of three windows. Murray further admitted that he walked to the Huntington Police Department afterward and told multiple officers there what he had done. Murray also admitted that the Sidney L. Christie U. S. Courthouse and Federal Building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Murray has multiple prior convictions including for depredation of government property in United States District Court for the District of Oregon on April 8, 2019, after breaking a window as the Gus J. Solomon United States Courthouse in Portland, Oregon.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-48.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Eddie Wayne Chapman Jr., 39, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court,  on July 18, 2024, Chapman possessed a backpack that was seized by law enforcement. Chapman admitted that the seized backpack contained a loaded Smith & Wesson SD9 VE 9mm pistol and two ammunition magazines. Chapman further admitted that the backpack contained approximately 65 grams of controlled substances containing fentanyl.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Chapman knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 23, 2017, and for conspiracy to operate a clandestine drug laboratory in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 30, 2010.

Chapman is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-193.

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Click here to register for this IN-PERSON only Summit

HOPE Family Drug Summit

(Healing, Opportunities and Possibilities to Empower)

January 15, 2025

University of Charleston

West Virginia families impacted by Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are welcome and encouraged to attend the West Virginia HOPE Family Drug Summit. The Summit will provide opportunities for SUD survivors, families and professionals who support them to share information, build connections, foster collaboration and strengthen partnerships to provide HOPE to those suffering from SUD and their children and families.

This free event will convene a wide range of stakeholders, including families impacted by the drug crisis in West Virginia, to better meet the comprehensive needs of families and those seeking recovery.

Audience: Individuals and family members impacted by SUD, recovery and treatment professionals, probation, parole, courts, social workers, school personnel, victim advocates, and others providing services and support to SUD impacted individuals and families.

Sponsored in partnership with:

Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisville Division

Federal Public Defender’s Office, SDWV

First Choice Services

Jobs & Hope West Virginia

Legal Aid of West Virginia

Mission West Virginia

West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice

West Virginia Department of Homeland Security

West Virginia Fusion Center

West Virginia Public Defender Services

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Brian K. Trent, 29, of Bradley, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Stanaford area of Raleigh County and found Trent and another individual in the reported vehicle. Officers determined that the vehicle was reported stolen in South Carolina, and that Trent was wanted on an active misdemeanor warrant and a parole violation. Officers also saw a firearm between the driver’s seat and the center console of the vehicle. Officers searched Trent and the vehicle and seized a Taurus model G2 9mm pistol, a North American .22-caliber magnum revolver, a Marlin model 60 .22-caliber rifle, a Noble model 60H 12-gauge shotgun, and a Taurus .32-caliber revolver.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Trent knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for destruction of property in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 29, 2016.

Trent is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-58.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jacqueline Brewster, 54, of Belfry, Kentucky, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Brewster admitted that she unlawfully accessed and used individually identifiable health information of patients at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley to divert hydromorphone, an opioid, for her personal use. Brewster was employed as a travel nurse at Raleigh General Hospital from September 2021 until February 2022.

To carry out her diversion scheme, Brewster accessed automated controlled substance dispensing machines at Raleigh General Hospital using her personal biometrics and began the process for checking out hydromorphone purportedly for a patient. Once the machine’s drawer opened, Brewster siphoned off a portion of hydromorphone from its vial, diluted the remaining hydromorphone with another substance so the vial would appear full, reattached the cap and returned the vial to the machine drawer. She subsequently canceled the transaction.

Brewster admitted that on one occasion she unlawfully accessed individually identifiable health information and obtained a hydromorphone by fraud occurred on or about February 1, 2022, at Raleigh General Hospital. Brewster further admitted that she carried out her scheme and diverted hydromorphone many times over the course of her employment at Raleigh General Hospital, and that she siphoned the hydromorphone not for any legitimate use.

Brewster is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration–Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Metro Washington Field Office, and the valuable assistance provided by detectives from the West Virginia State Police and the Kentucky State Police.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and controlled substance abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-104.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Roger Wayne Legg, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 20, 2023, Legg possessed approximately 694 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Diamondback DB380 .380-caliber pistol in a backpack he was carrying in Charleston. Legg admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine and possessed the firearm for security and protection while he sought to sell drugs.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-11.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Chidi Anthony Okafor, 26, of Charleston, was sentenced on Wednesday, December 12, 2024, to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 31, 2022, Okafor sold approximately 338.3 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Charleston.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon and Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-75.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with law enforcement officials to hold a press conference on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 3 p.m. to announce an indictment alleging a scheme to defraud the Boone County Board of Education out of approximately $3.4 million.

WHO: U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and law enforcement officials

WHAT: Press conference announcing an unsealed indictment and arrest

WHEN: Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 3 p.m.

WHERE: Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston, Fourth Floor, Suite 4000

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

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Tiffany Isenhart, 31, of Rainelle, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property and was sentenced to one year and six months of federal probation and ordered to pay $3,380 in restitution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between on or about December 1, 2023, and April 16, 2024, Isenhart stole $3,380 in money orders while employed at the Charmco Post Office and converted them to her own use. Isenhart admitted that she used her position as a United States Postal Service employee to issue the money orders to herself without paying for them or paying the associated fees.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service-Office of Inspector General.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-170.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment yesterday charging Michael David Barker, 47, of Foster, with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering. The indictment was unsealed today following Barker’s arrest by law enforcement officers.

The indictment alleges that from in or about November 2019 through in or about December 2023, Barker was serving as maintenance director when he entered into a scheme to defraud the Boone County Board of Education out of approximately $3,400,000.

Barker was maintenance director from in or about 2015 through in or about November 2023, and was responsible for ordering supplies necessary for the maintenance of the Boone County schools. Barker falsified documents showing that the Boone County Board of Education was receiving large amounts of janitorial and custodial products including hand soap, trash can liners, and face masks from Rush Enterprises, a Kentucky business with an office in Kenova, West Virginia, when the Boone County Board of Education was only receiving a small amount of those products.

Acting in his capacity as maintenance director, Barker submitted fraudulent invoices and purchase orders that caused the Boone County Board of Education to pay for more than $4,000,000 of products from Rush Enterprises. During calendar years 2022 and 2023, for example, Barker submitted invoices to the Boone County Board of Education that caused them to pay Rush Enterprises for 4,993 cases of hand soap when, in fact, the Boone County Board of Education had only received approximately 829 cases. The Boone County Board of Education paid approximately $474,696 for hand soap that was never delivered.

Rush Enterprises was operated by Jesse Marks, who is named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment. Barker and Marks conspired to overbill the Boone County Board of Education for the undelivered products and split the proceeds from the fraudulent scheme. Barker received approximately $2,000,000 as a result of the fraudulent scheme, and then used his share of the proceeds to make extravagant purchases for his personal benefit.

From at least in or about March 2020 through in or about December 2023, Barker, Marks and other persons conspired to commit mail fraud as part of the scheme to defraud the Boone County Board of Education. The fraudulent invoices and purchase orders submitted by Barker caused the Boone County Board of Education to send a series of checks through the United States Mail to Rush Enterprises. Marks deposited those checks into his business account for Rush Enterprises, wrote checks from his business account to himself, cashed those checks at multiple banks, and paid Barker his share of the proceeds from the fraudulent scheme with the cash. Marks delivered cash payments to Barker in person at various locations in Boone County during the time period.

The Boone County Board of Education received federal funds annually in excess of $10,000 during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, and the money fraudulently obtained by Barker through his scheme included federal funds. Barker also laundered proceeds of his fraudulent scheme by purchasing a utility vehicle and making down payments toward the purchase of a track loader and excavator.

Barker is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 11 counts of mail fraud, three counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and three counts of money laundering. If convicted, Barker faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy count and each mail fraud count, and up to 10 years in prison for each theft and money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“At a time when Boone County Schools faced significant challenges, particularly while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Barker used his position of authority to enrich himself at the expense of the children of Boone County,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Mr. Barker’s scheme siphoned millions of much-needed dollars from our public schools, and the indictment unsealed today seeks to hold him accountable for his criminal actions.”

Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education.

“This scheme not only defrauded the public of their money, but it also directly impacted the health, safety, and wellbeing of the most vulnerable in our community: our children,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “Rather than supporting educators and ensuring resources for students were available, this individual instead sought to line his own pockets. The FBI and our partners remain committed to holding those responsible accountable and seeking justice for victims.”

“Today’s action alleges that Mr. Barker not only abused his position of trust for personal gain but did so at the expense of Boone County students. That is unacceptable,” said John Carlo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office.  "OIG will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own purposes. West Virginia’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

“Mr. Barker was entrusted with the responsibility of ordering supplies necessary for the maintenance of the Boone County schools.  Instead, he allegedly exploited his position at the school to launder millions of dollars to enrich himself", said Kareem Carter, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office. "Today’s indictment should serve as an example of IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners commitment to continue to work together to hold accountable and disrupt bad actors like the defendant.”

“Barker isn’t just accused of stealing much needed funds from Boone County schools and its students, he stole from all West Virginians and taxpayers throughout the country,” said West Virginia State Auditor JB McCuskey. “This type of fraud has not been tolerated under my watch in local government through our PIFU and I’m proud of the work we have done to help our partners in the United States Attorney’s Office to root out this behavior and send the message that you will be held accountable.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-194.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Edward Keith Perkins, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 19, 2024, Perkins shipped a box containing approximately 4.43 kilograms of methamphetamine from California to a Virginia Street address on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia. On August 22, 2024, Perkins drove to the Virginia Street address. Law enforcement approached the vehicle Perkins was driving after a passenger in the vehicle retrieved the package from the porch of the residence and placed it in the vehicle’s trunk. Perkins fled the vehicle when the officers approached but was later apprehended. Perkins admitted that the package contained approximately 50 grams of fentanyl in addition to the 4.43 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Perkins is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Alexander A. Redmon are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-158.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tracey Brown, 45, of Chelyan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about December 12, 2023, Brown obtained approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine in the Dayton, Ohio, area and transported the controlled substance to an Elkview, West Virginia, residence where he was living. Brown admitted that he distributed approximately 1 pound of the methamphetamine and intended to distribute the remaining methamphetamine with another person in the Southern District of West Virginia.

On December 13, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Elkview residence and seized the remaining methamphetamine.

Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to live in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

“This case is the result of determined investigative work by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force,” said  United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Their outstanding efforts prevented a staggering amount of methamphetamine from reaching our streets and poisoning our community.”

The U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-16.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Robert Lee Moran, 46, of Mount Hope, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2024, Moran distributed approximately 1 gram of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Beckley.

Moran is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-141.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Matthew L. Farmer, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2023, law enforcement officers had reason to believe Farmer was carrying a firearm and encountered him while patrolling Charleston’s West Side. Officers asked Farmer if he had a firearm, and Farmer told them he had a firearm in his back pocket. Officers retrieved a Firearms Import Export (FIE) model Titan .25-caliber handgun from Farmer’s back pocket. The firearm had a magazine inserted that contained seven rounds of ammunition.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Farmer knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Monongalia County Circuit Court on October 7, 2015, and grand larceny in Wetzel County Circuit Court on January 26, 2011.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-202.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Drew Lamont Scruggs, 48, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2024, Scruggs pawned a Kimber model Stainless Ultra Carry II .45-caliber pistol at a Huntington business. Scruggs admitted to possessing the firearm and that the firearm was later determined to have been stolen at the time he possessed it.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Scruggs knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for voluntary manslaughter on June 25, 1997, trafficking in cocaine on April 1, 1998, and on November 12, 2012, and failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer on November 3, 2015, and on August 6, 2019, all in Summit County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-49.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – William Williams, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 12, 2022, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a random pat-down search of Williams and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his left front pants pocket. The shank was a piece of metal approximately five inches long with a sharpened point on one end and a cloth handle. Williams admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-52.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson honored more than 80 federal, state and local law enforcement professionals today for their outstanding contributions to investigations and cases in the Southern District of West Virginia.

The 2024 Law Enforcement Awards, presented during a ceremony at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston, recognize both invaluable assistance within specific categories of cases and office initiatives as well as overall exemplary service over the past year.

“Today, we recognize and honor those who did an outstanding job serving and protecting our communities during the past year. They provided vitally important assistance to our office in the pursuit of justice,” Thompson said. “We also celebrate and promote the cooperation among agencies. Through these awards, we salute collaborative efforts, including joint investigations and partnerships formed to spearhead criminal justice initiatives. These are so crucial to our shared mission.”

Law enforcement officers and organizations were honored in the following categories:

Category: White Collar Crime

Outstanding White Collar Crime Case: U.S. vs David K. Smith et al. (3:23-cr-5)

• Port Security Specialist Todd A. Childers, United States Coast Guard (USCG)
• Marine Science Technician First Class Caitlin Furman, USCG
• Marine Science Technician First Class Adam Krukowski, USCG
• Marine Science Technician First Class Lenn L. Pitt, USCG
• Chief Warrant Officer Michael D. Rushane, USCG
• Chief of Inspections Geoffrey Scibek, USCG
• Special Agent Nick Gillispie, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
• Special Agent Kim Taylor, USEPA
• Environmental Inspector Supervisor Ryan Harbison, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

An investigation revealed that David K. Smith, 69, of Paducah, Kentucky, was the sole owner and officer of Western River Assets LLC and River Marine Enterprises LLC. Western River Assets owned a towboat, Gate City, that docked along the West Virginia shore of the Big Sandy River.

The U.S. Coast Guard inspected the Gate City towboat and issued an administrative order in November 2017 that required Smith to remove all oil and hazardous materials from the Gate City towboat. This administrative order said in part that the Gate City presented an “imminent and substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the environment because of a threatened discharge of oil from the vessel.”

On or about January 10, 2018, the Gate City towboat sank while docked along the West Virginia shore of the Big Sandy River. The sinking discharged oil and other substances into the Big Sandy, leaving a sheen on the river and oily deposits beneath the surface. As a direct result of the Gate City’s sinking and oil spill, the City of Kenova, West Virginia, closed its municipal drinking water intake for three days. Various regulatory agencies had to take actions and expend resources to respond to the spill.

Smith pleaded guilty individually and on behalf of River Marine Enterprises and Western River Assets to the discharge of refuse into navigable waters on October 17, 2023. Smith was subsequently sentenced to one year and six months of federal probation, including six months on home detention. River Marine Enterprises and Western River Assets were each fined $100,000 and placed on corporate probation for five years. The defendants were also ordered to pay $1,856,957.92 in restitution, and the LLC defendants are prohibited from operating any business while on probation.

Outstanding White Collar Crime Case: U.S. vs Tabatha Deavers et al. (2:23-cr-14)

• Inspector Melissa Belmont, United States Postal Inspection Service
• United States Secret Service Special Agent Bryan Cruickshank (now with the United States Postal Inspection Service)
• Special Agent Gary Hilton, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations
• Special Agent Brian Horvath, United States Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General
• Detective Brian Middleton, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office

From approximately December 2020 through at least December 1, 2022, Brittany King, 35, of East Bank, and Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, were employed by a Kanawha County business that cleaned local office spaces. King and Deavers unlawfully obtained the personal identification information of multiple individuals while cleaning these area businesses. They also rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims, which allowed King and Deavers to open lines of credit and bank accounts and obtain loans and credit cards in the names of their identity theft victims.

King and Deavers caused a loss of at least $260,239.19 to more than 10 victims as a result of their fraudulent schemes. They stole money and property from individuals, lenders, financial institutions, car dealerships and other companies.

King and Deavers pleaded guilty in the fall of 2023 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. They were both sentenced to five years in prison. The mother of Tabatha Deavers, Amy Deavers, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with this case. Amy Deavers admitted that she helped access and attempt to transfer a veteran’s stolen disability benefits as part of the identity theft scheme.

Category: Project Safe Childhood

Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched by the Department of Justice in 2006. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Outstanding PSC Case: U.S. vs Thomas John Mills (5:21-cr-96)

• Detective Wayne Long, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office
• Detective Jarred Payne, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office

On or about March 10, 2020, Thomas John Mills, 37, of Beckley, was released from jail following a conviction for child abuse causing injury against a 15-year-old female victim. After being released from jail through October 2020, Mills communicated via his cell phone and Facebook Messenger to coerce the same15-year-old female victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct including masturbation and the lascivious exhibition of her genitals, for the purpose of creating images and videos of this conduct. Mills had the minor take pictures and videos to send to him and also had her participate in live video chats where he told her to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The Court described the case as “one of the worst set of circumstances” it has seen.” Mills pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. On February 23, 2023, Mills was sentenced to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and is required to register as a sex offender.

Category: Drug Trafficking

Outstanding Drug Trafficking Case: Operation Smoke & Mirrors

U.S. v. Jasper Wemh et al. (2:23-cr-4), U.S. v. Antonio Jeffries et al. (2:23-cr-31), U.S. v. Alexandria Estep et al. (2:23-cr-33), U.S. v. Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr. et al. (1:23-cr-32)

• Digital Forensic Specialist Kelsey Billups, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
• Paralegal Specialist Amy Boyd, FBI
• Senior Digital Forensic Examiner Melinda Cash, FBI
• Tactical Specialist Rose Chestnut, FBI
• Intelligence Analyst Sarah Cole, FBI
• Special Agent Mark Phillip Gunther II, FBI
• Special Agent Jennifer L. King, FBI
• Senior Financial Investigator Dean A. Lauffer, FBI
• Evidence Technician Joshua VanMeter, FBI
• Keven Allen, Charleston Police Department, Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT)
• Detective Matthew Cooper, St. Albans Police Department, MDENT
• Corporal Wes Daniels, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
• Detective David Harvey, South Charleston Police Department, MDENT
• Detective Jordan Hilbert, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
• Corporal Paul J. Hodge, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, MDENT
• Corporal Brian Hudson, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, MDENT
• Corporal Seth Johnson, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
• Administrative Assistant Lori Lipscomb, MDENT
• Corporal Owen Morris, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
• Lieutenant Justin Raynes, Nitro Police Department, MDENT
• Detective Nigel Waller, Charleston Police Department, MDENT
• Deputy Chief of Police Jason Webb, Former MDENT Commander, Charleston Police Department
• Corporal Michelle R. Shaffer, West Virginia State Police
• Special Agent Ambra Dunn, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
• Detective Alexander Bobinger, Charleston Police Department
• Special Agent Dan Karshenas, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

The eight-month investigation dubbed Operation Smoke and Mirrors resulted in the largest seizure of methamphetamine to date in the state of West Virginia. It disrupted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) with connections to California and the southern border that was responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in Charleston.

Law enforcement obtained more than 50 search warrants, culminating in waves of arrests in March 2023. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.

Four federal indictments were returned charging 32 individuals for their roles in the DTO. Another 24 individuals were charged in state criminal complaints. Thirty of the federal defendants pleaded guilty. Another was convicted by a federal jury after a two-day trial. The remaining federal defendant, Deayria Eyshay Willis, 25, of Charleston, is a fugitive. Nearly two dozen of the federal defendants were sentenced to prison. Eight of those defendants were sentenced to 10 years or more of imprisonment.

This investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Critical to the success of this strategy is harnessing the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies while in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.

Outstanding Drug Trafficking Case:  U.S. vs Raymond Jaquette Howard, et al. (3:22-cr-102)

• Special Agent Ben Henrich, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):
• Special Agent Brian Roscoe, DEA
• Special Agent Matt Yount, DEA
• Corporal K.L. Adkins, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• First Sergeant P.W. Boyles, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• Captain Lacy J. Deskins, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• Sergeant J.R. Garnes, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• First Sergeant J.M. Parde, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• Detective Jon Vernon, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• Lieutenant T.L. Weese, West Virginia State Police, Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West
• Sergeant A.M. Whittington, West Virginia State Police

On September 22, 2021, Howard, 34, of Las Vegas, Nevada, sold approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington motel. On November 16, 2021, law enforcement searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. On December 24, 2021, Howard was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers. The vehicle was searched an officers found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Howard admitted that the fentanyl was his and that he intended to sell the fentanyl or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf.

Howard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced on January 17, 2023, to 14 years and eight months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

A related defendant, Jamie Lyn Music, 41, also of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl.

This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.

Category: Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhoods

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Outstanding Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhood Case: U.S v. Randell Lee Proctor (2:23-cr-74)

• Special Agent Jarrod Chittum, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Special Agent Mari Woodford, ATF
• Detective Chris Boner, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Nathan Brill, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy T.D. Burks, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy D.J. Dorsey, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Trooper D.M. Copley, West Virginia State Police
• Trooper Larry Holstein III, West Virginia State Police
• Forensic Scientist Farrah S. Machado, West Virginia State Police
• Corporal S.W. Perdue, West Virginia State Police
• Sergeant Joseph Robinson, West Virginia State Police

On December 29, 2022, Randell Lee Proctor, 45, of Belle, was engaged in a domestic altercation with his girlfriend while armed with a handgun. Proctor fired one round into the air while walking through a neighborhood in Rand. He fired a second round into the ceiling of a front porch at a residence where the girlfriend was inside. Proctor then entered the residence and began physically assaulting the girlfriend. Law enforcement officers responded after receiving complaints about the gunshots and found Proctor inside the residence. They recovered a Hi-Point, model C9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Proctor pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Proctor had four prior convictions for domestic battery in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. He was sentenced on December 7, 2023, to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Outstanding Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhood Case:  U.S. vs Thomas Ray III (3:21-cr-57)

• Officer Ernie Blackburn, Huntington Police Department
• Corporal Nicholas Bloomfield, Huntington Police Department
• Captain Steve Compton, Huntington Police Department
• PFC Angela Faircloth, Huntington Police Department
• Sergeant Steve Fitz, Huntington Police Department
• Detective Christopher Hurst, Huntington Police Department
• Officer Matt Keesee, Huntington Police Department
• Sergeant Joseph Koher, Huntington Police Department
• Sergeant Adrian Roasario, Huntington Police Department
• Corporal David Rowsey, Huntington Police Department
• Special Agent Jarrod Chittum, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

On October 23, 2020, Thomas Ray III, 54, of Huntington, entered an Artisan Avenue residence in Huntington where he physically assaulted two women, brandished a firearm, pointed it at the forehead of a third woman and fired two rounds into the air. Officers responding to the resulting 911 calls located Ray in an alley several blocks from Artisan Avenue. Ray fired a round at one officer and continued to flee. Ray fired several more shots at officers while fleeing before they returned fire and wounded him in the leg.

Ray was still holding the firearm while on the ground and resisted being placed into custody. Officers recovered the firearm, a loaded Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber pistol, after Ray tossed it to the ground. Officers also found .40-caliber ammunition and a Harrington and Richardson revolver in Ray’s pants pockets.

A federal jury found Ray guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 12, 2023, following a two-day trial. Ray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for forcible detention while armed and giving a false bomb or gas alarm in Will County, Illinois, Circuit Court on February 28, 2012, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 9, 2013.

At the time of this offense, Ray was serving a term of federal supervised release for the 2013 conviction. Ray was sentenced on December 18, 2023, to 12 years in prison, including two years for committing a crime while on supervised release.

Outstanding Violent Crime and Project Safe Neighborhood Case: U.S. v. Stephen Simmons (3:23-cr-21)

• Senior Special Agent Jason J. Berty, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Branch Chief David Bullard, ATF
• Special Agent Jarrod C. Chittum, ATF
• Special Agent Kachine R. Jonese, ATF     
• Special Agent Sean McNees, ATF
• Special Agent Mari Woodford, ATF
• Detective Mathew Cooper, St. Albans Police Department
• Lieutenant Brandon Perry, St. Albans Police Department
• Sergeant J.R. Farry, Nitro Police Department

On January 3, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Stephen Simmons, 41, of Nitro. Law enforcement seized two Glock switches, two drop-in auto sears, six firearm silencers, and more than 40 firearms including a Ruger, model 10/22, .22-caliber rifle that was reported stolen in Boone County.

Simmons pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered machinegun for possessing one of the Glock switches, admitting that he did not register device in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.

Investigators documented Simmons’ substantial history of unlawful drug use and addiction. Their investigation showed that Simmons was illegally using drugs at the same time he possessed firearms, silencers, and devices designed solely to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. The Court concluded that Simmons was an unlawful user of controlled substances, and as a result was prohibited from possessing firearms on January 3, 2023. Simmons was sentenced on September 12, 2023, to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of the Year: Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT)

The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of the Year recognizes outstanding cooperative law enforcement efforts and endeavors that have significant and lasting community impact. This award is a highlight of our annual ceremony because it not only honors a task force for one or more specific cases but also for their continuing role in significant investigations and prosecutions.

The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

This year’s award recognizes MDENT for its role in Operation Smoke and Mirrors.

Law Enforcement Officers of the Year

Our Law Enforcement Officer of the Year awards honor individual federal, state, and local officers selected for work that consistently stands out in significant cases.

• Federal Law Enforcement Officers of the Year: Special Agent Terrance “Terry” Taylor, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• State Law Enforcement Officers of the Year: Captain Lacy Deskins, West Virginia State Police
• Local Law Enforcement Officers of the Year: Deputy Jason A. Redden, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office

Each of these individuals has distinguished himself in multiple cases prosecuted by this office. This award also honors them for their consistently outstanding contributions throughout their careers to the criminal justice system and the communities they serve.

Outstanding Community Partner: West Virginia State University

West Virginia State University has been a committed contributor as a West Virginia Civil Rights Stakeholder and a gracious host of the Stakeholders’ quarterly meetings. The Civil Rights Stakeholders are an array of federal, state and local agencies and organizations committed to addressing and responding to hate crimes and incidents in the Southern District of West Virginia. 

West Virginia State University is also a valued partner with this office in the advancement of the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative, a nationwide initiative to combat unlawful acts of hate and improve hate crime reporting.

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

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will honor more than 80 law enforcement professionals during the 2024 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston.

The annual awards ceremony recognizes the exemplary service of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have provided invaluable assistance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia in cases and initiatives.

Thompson will present awards for outstanding law enforcement work on major cases involving drug crimes, violent crimes, white collar crimes and the sexual exploitation of minors. Thompson will also present awards honoring the Law Enforcement Officers of the Year, the Drug and Violent Crime Task Force of the year, and the  Outstanding Community Partner.

WHAT: 2024 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10 a.m.

WHERE: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse, Charleston, Fifth Floor

*** NOTICE: cameras and other recording devices will be permitted on the fifth floor of the Courthouse for the ceremony only. ***

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

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Laikin Williams, 25, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 5, 2022, Williams purchased a Taurus model PT111 G2A 9mm pistol at a Parkersburg business. Williams admitted that he bought the firearm for another individual, and falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the purchaser of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for the other individual.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the assistance provided by the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams have prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted under the criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. BSCA is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-133.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Grant, 41, of Buckhannon, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $35,168 in restitution for conspiracy to steal public money, property or records. Grant admitted that he fraudulently obtained approximately $14,336 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, and a $20,832 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 25, 2020, Grant applied for unemployment compensation after he was laid off as a sales manager at a Charleston auto dealership when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Grant legitimately received unemployment benefits until the week ending April 18, 2020, when he returned to work.

Grant admitted that from at least April 25, 2020 through at least July 25, 2020, he continued to apply for unemployment benefits that he knew he was not entitled to because he had returned to work. Grant fraudulently obtained approximately $14,336 in unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the CARES Act.

WorkForce West Virginia administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Grant admitted that as part of his scheme, he falsely certified on the WorkForce West Virginia website for 14 consecutive weeks that he was entitled to unemployment benefits. Grant submitted the false certification answers while using his personal electronic device in St. Albans.

On March 21, 2021, Grant applied for a PPP loan because he had earned income as an independent contractor during previous tax years. PPP loans were available to qualifying independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Grant admitted that he falsely represented that he had earned $104,580 as an independent contractor for the prior tax year when he knew he had only earned $33,900. Grant further admitted that he made this false representation in order to receive $20,832, the maximum loan amount available to independent contractors.

Grant also admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits and PPP loan funds to make purchases and pay his bills.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-113.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Burtchville, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Phillips admitted that he possessed approximately 19.8 grams of fentanyl on April 30, 2024, in Beckley that he intended to distribute. Phillips further admitted that he had been selling fentanyl in West Virginia while residing at a Mount Hope residence and used two individuals at the residence to sell fentanyl.

Phillips is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of  20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Phillips has also agreed to forfeit one firearm and abandon three other firearms that were seized on April 30, 2024.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-142.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Steven Patrick Crabtree, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to reports of an individual shooting at others outside of a Buffington Street residence in Huntington. Officers encountered Crabtree, who matched the description of the shooting suspect. Officers recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm pistol from Crabtree, and later determined that the firearm had been stolen.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Crabtree knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to deliver not less than 10 grams nor more than 100 grams of heroin in Wayne County Circuit Court on May 30, 2018, and attempt to commit a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 21, 2017.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-86.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joe Dante Townsend, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 11, 2024, Townsend was a backseat passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers on the 1600 block of Ninth Avenue in Huntington. Officers searched the vehicle during the traffic stop and found a backpack in the backseat containing approximately 499 grams of cocaine. Townsend admitted that the backpack belonged to him, and that he had transported the cocaine by bus from Detroit to Huntington, where he intended to distribute the cocaine for money.

Townsend is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-115.

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