Southern District of West Virginia

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Eugene W. Williams, also known as “Bo,” 46, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to seven years 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 March 4, 2021, Williams sold what he now knows was a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant near Mount Hope in Raleigh County. Williams admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling an additional quantity of fentanyl to the same confidential informant on March 11, 2021.

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

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-32.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeffrey Lee Ward Jr., 31, of Bellaire, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 4, 2022, Ward traveled from Ohio to Parkersburg, West Virginia, to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl in order to engage in sexual activity including sexual intercourse. Ward had been communicating with the individual via an instant messaging app. Ward used the app to send a photo of his genitalia to the individual. When Ward showed up at their arranged meeting location, he was arrested.

Ward was previously convicted of pandering obscenity involving a minor in Belmont County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court on May 18, 2015, and failure to register as a sex offender in Nicholas County, West Virginia, Magistrate Court on September 1, 2021.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the Parkersburg Police Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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. 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. 2:22-cr-51.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Steven Reger, 46, of Morgantown, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 23, 2021, Reger sold approximately 428.1 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant near a garage in Parkersburg. Reger admitted to selling the methamphetamine to the informant and receiving $5,000 as well as $10,000 from prior drug deals from the informant.

Reger is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Negar M. Kordestani 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. 2:22-cr-196.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Trevor Dean Williams, 36, of Ashland, Kentucky, was sentenced today to 10 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 May 19, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to Williams’ Huntington residence after a home alarm system alerted 911. Officer observed suspected drug paraphernalia including a blender containing a powder substance, needles and torn plastic bags, as well as ammunition and gun holsters in plain view in the residence. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and found three loaded firearms in Williams’ bedroom: a SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol, a Glock 27 .40-caliber pistol, and a Hi-Point CF380 .380-caliber pistol.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Williams knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions in Boyd County, Kentucky, Circuit Court for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, methamphetamine, on October 31, 2018, and second-degree assault on May 21, 2008.

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 Courtney L. Cremeans 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. 3:22-cr-152.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Ryan Tucker, 45, of Mammoth, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 13, 2022, law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Tucker on a state warrant in Cedar Grove and he fled on foot. Tucker was caught and while resisting arrest told the officers he possessed a firearm. Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm pistol holstered on Tucker’s belt and concealed beneath his clothing.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Tucker was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for breaking and entering on May 3, 2021, and grand larceny on January 26, 2015, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

Tucker is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 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 United States Marshals Service and the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force.

United States District  Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Negar M. Kordestani 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. 2:22-cr-17.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Austin Michael Light, 21, of Beaver, was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2021, law enforcement officers received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding possible child pornography uploaded to a Google Mail account. The investigation led officers to Light. On August 18, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Light’s residence and seized several electronic devices including Light’s cell phone.

A forensic analysis of Light’s cell phone revealed nine images and 49 videos of minors and prepubescent minors, including infants, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Several of the videos were of adults sexually assaulting infants and toddlers as well as prepubescent minors, and of minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Light admitted to downloading the child pornography from the internet from January 2020 until at least August 18, 2021. Light further admitted to attempting to upload a video depicting child pornography to the internet on January 26, 2021.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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. 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. 5:21-cr-259.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – James Edward Cook, 43, of Arnett, pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2021, Cook began communicating with an individual on Facebook he believed to be a 9-year-old girl living in Beckley. Cook admitted that he discussed sexually explicit topics with the minor female, offered to teach her about sex, and told the minor female he wanted to be the first person with whom she had sexual intercourse. Cook further admitted that he told the minor female he would make a video of them having sexual intercourse for the first time, and discussed getting the minor female pregnant in the future.

On December 28, 2021, Cook arranged to meet the minor female outside a Raleigh County school. When Cook arrived at the location that evening, he was arrested by law enforcement.

Cook is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of  10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) West Virginia Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the West Virginia Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White 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. 5:22-cr-43.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Edwin Payne Jr., 41, of Belpre, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 4, 2022, Payne arranged for a package containing approximately 1 kilogram of a fentanyl analogue to be shipped through the United States Mail from California to an apartment in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Payne paid the apartment’s resident more than $1,000 to receive and hold the package for Payne.

Law enforcement officers intercepted the package before it arrived at the apartment, and replaced the fentanyl with a sham substance and a tracking device before the package was delivered to the apartment. Payne tracked the package’s delivery using his mobile phone, and went to the apartment when the package arrived there on April 8, 2022. When Payne opened the package, law enforcement officers knocked on the apartment door. Payne attempted to flee but was arrested.

Payne is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of  15 years and up to life in prison, 10 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $20 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force, and the Parkersburg Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Andrew D. Isabell 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. 2:22-cr-108.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Raymond Jaquette Howard, 34, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today to 14 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Howard admitted to selling approximately 1.01 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington motel on September 22, 2021. On November 16, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Howard’s motel room and found approximately 4.6 pounds of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 43x pistol hidden in the ceiling. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl.

Howard further admitted to directing co-defendant David Anthony Wellman to sell quantities of fentanyl between September 2021 and December 2021. Wellman pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl on September 28, 2022.

On December 24, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Howard was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and found approximately 399.6 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Howard admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl or direct others to sell the fentanyl on his behalf.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the West Virginia State Police.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-102.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Shawn Anthony Graves, 29, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Graves admitted to possessing approximately 15.4 grams of crack and 4.5 grams of cocaine found by law enforcement officers when they executed a search warrant at a 14th Street residence on November 7, 2019. Graves admitted he intended to distribute the controlled substances, and further admitted to selling additional quantities of crack at the 14th Street residence  on September 26, 2019 and October 28, 2019, each time to a confidential informant.

During the November 7, 2019, search of the 14th Street residence, officers also found three loaded firearms: an Eagle Arms AR15 .223-caliber rifle; a Springfield XDS 9mm pistol; and a Taurus Judge Public Defender, .45/.410-caliber pistol. Co-defendant Marshall Lee Graves II was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 24, 2022.

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

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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. 3:21-cr-181.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kameron I. Ziegler, 23, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, Kilan Nicks, also known as “Low,” sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Roby Road residence in Huntington. Ziegler admitted to being at the residence and providing the methamphetamine to Nicks in advance of the sale to the informant.

Ziegler is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 year in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.

Nicks pleaded guilty on November 21, 2021, to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Nicks is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $5 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.

The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jason Robert Henthorne, 47, of Milton, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2021, Henthorne possessed more than 1,000 images and videos of child pornography stored on electronic devices at the Milton residence where he was staying. Henthorne admitted that some of the images and videos depict infants and prepubescent children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct. Henthorne further admitted that one of the images depicts adult males sexually assaulting a prepubescent female.

Henthorne is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime 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. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White 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. 3:22-cr-234.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ivan Lee Burton, 47, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Burton admitted to distributing approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Parkersburg on or about August 3, 2022.  Burton further admitted to conspiring with several others to complete numerous drug transactions in the Parkersburg, West Virginia, area between April 2022 and September 2022.  Burton used other individuals to sell drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” to customers on his behalf.    

Burton has a long criminal history that now includes 13 felony convictions and six misdemeanor convictions.

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

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:22-cr-190.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Samuel Manriquez, 37, of Cross Lanes, was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Charleston residence where Manriquez was hiding to evade arrest. Manriquez refused to surrender, and after several hours, was removed from a crawl space beneath the residence’s basement floor. Officers found two bags of fentanyl totaling approximately 6.3 grams and $1,620 in Manriquez’s left pants pocket. Manriquez admitted that he intended to distribute some of the fentanyl found on his person.

On January 8, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a 911 hang-up call at Manriquez’s residence. Manriquez admitted that he struck a female guest in the side of her head with his fist during an argument and then left the residence before officers arrived. The officers executed a search warrant at Manriquez’s residence and found a Walther HK MP5 .22-caliber rifle, a Ruger .22-caliber pistol, parts to a Hi-Point .45-caliber pistol, $4,680 and drug paraphernalia including a scale and aluminum foil with a white powder residue.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Manriquez was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony convictions for distribution of U-47700, an opioid, and distribution of U-47700, and furanyl fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 1, 2019.

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

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White 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-176.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Owen Johnson, 56, of Procious, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Johnson must also register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2021, Johnson used Facebook and his cell phone to distribute a video of child pornography to another Facebook user during a conversation. Johnson further admitted that between 2020 and 2021, he used this Facebook account to chat with individuals and to possess and distribute child pornography.

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).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted 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. 2:21-cr-155.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with officials from the Charleston YWCA and other key stakeholders on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

The press conference will include a “Red Sand” event, a visibility initiative to bring attention to the vulnerabilities that can lead to human trafficking and exploitation. The day is part of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

WHAT: National Human Trafficking Awareness Day Press Conference

WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Steps of Kanawha County Courthouse, 409 Virginia Street East, Charleston

 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 appear before the West Virginia Board of Education during its 9 a.m. meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, to promote career technical education law and public safety programs.

WHAT: Presentation on Career Technical Education Law and Public Safety Programs

WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2023. The meeting begins at 9 a.m.

WHERE: West Virginia Board of Education, West Virginia Capitol Complex, Building 6, Suite 600, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston

Audio of the meeting was live-streamed. Meeting minutes are available here: https://wvde.us/events/2023/1/january-2023-board-meeting.

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. – Julio Hisael Almonte, 31, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in the fraudulent purchase of new trucks from a pair of Charleston dealerships. Almonte was also ordered to pay $42,375.03 in restitution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Almonte and a co-conspirator obtained two forged Ohio driver’s licenses by using the information of actual Ohio residents and the co-conspirator’s photo. On June 28, 2018, the co-conspirator used one of the stolen identities and forged licenses to purchase a Ford F-150 Raptor for $76,196.76 from a Charleston dealership. On June 29, 2018, the co-conspirator used the other stolen identity and forged license to purchase a Toyota Tacoma for $42,375.03 from a different Charleston dealership.

On June 30, 2018, Almonte was arrested by the West Virginia State Police in Braxton County as he attempted to drive the Ford F-150 back to the New York area. Almonte pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service which provided assistance during the investigation.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich 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-160.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alexis Ransom, 25, of Logan, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation and ordered today to pay $42,250.00 in restitution for a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of over $42,250.00 in COVID-19 relief loans 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, beginning on March 27, 2021, and continuing to August 16, 2021, Ransom applied for three PPP loans for her purported business, Alexis Renae Ransom, which she claimed did business under the tradenames of Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC and Momma & Me Boutique. Ransom admitted that she falsely stated that Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC was established in 2019, and had earned $66,900.00 in gross income in 2019 and 2020, and that Momma & Me Boutique earned $69,000.00 in gross income in 2019. The investigation revealed that Ransom’s purported business and its tradenames had not engaged in substantial business activity before February 15, 2020. Ransom further admitted that she submitted a false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040 in connection with the first loan application she submitted for Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.

Ransom obtained two PPP loans worth $13,937.50 for Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC, and one PPP loan worth $14,375.00 for Momma & Me Boutique. Ransom admitted that she later applied to have all three PPP loans forgiven even though she had not spent the loan proceeds on permissible business expenses. The SBA forgave her loans on August 16, 2021.

Ransom pleaded guilty to wire fraud. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the United States Secret Service.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson 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. 2:22-cr-122.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anthony Ryan Webb, 42, of Ethel, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2021, Webb sold more than 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Ethel. At the time, Webb was an employee of the United States Postal Service. As a result of his job duties, Webb had access to packages that had been placed in the United States Mail and was responsible for sorting out packages that had been damaged in transit. Webb admitted that he stole approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine from a package, which he then sold to the informant.         

Webb is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the West Virginia State Police.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-123.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Doran King Burroughs Jr., 23, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 10, 2022, Burroughs sold approximately 102 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while outside a Charleston business in the informant’s vehicle. Burroughs admitted to that transaction and an additional sale of approximately 51 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on May 4, 2022, in the informant’s vehicle.

On August 11, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Burroughs’ residence. Burroughs admitted that officers found approximately 76 grams of fentanyl, a drum magazine loaded with 7.62x39mm ammunition, a Spartan Armor System body armor carrier, and four firearms: a Glock, model 17, 9mm pistol; a PAP, model M92PV, 7.62-caliber pistol; a Glock, model 43X, 9mm pistol; and a Bushmaster model xm15-e25, .223-caliber rifle. Burroughs admitted to possessing the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Burroughs was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his conviction for first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first offense, in Boone County, Kentucky, Circuit Court on March 7, 2022.

Burroughs is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of  five years and up to 55 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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. 2:22-cr-172.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brandon Lamarr McCauley, also known as “Louie,” 30, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 12, 2022, law enforcement officers pulled over a vehicle driven by McCauley on Fifth Avenue in Huntington. McCauley admitted that he possessed approximately 62 grams of suspected heroin, which he had divided into multiple bags for distribution, that officers found during the traffic stop. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was fentanyl.

McCauley further admitted to aiding and abetting another individual in the distribution of additional quantities of heroin totaling 2.6 grams on Sixth Street in Huntington on May 12, 2022.

McCauley is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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. 3:22-cr-187.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Ray Ramirez-Bueno, 59, a federal inmate, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon while an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2021, a FCI McDowell staff member conducting a pat-down search of Ramirez-Bueno found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” on his person. The object was a piece of metal approximately four inches long, sharpened to a point on one end. Ramirez-Bueno admitted to possessing the object and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.

Ramirez-Bueno is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023, 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 Federal Bureau of Prisons.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-210.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Virgil Montell-Denzel Watkins, 30, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 10 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Watkins admitted to selling approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Marcum Terrace apartment in Huntington on February 3, 2022. Watkins further admitted to selling an additional 6 ounces of methamphetamine to the informant between February 17 and April 18, 2022.

On April 22, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Watkins and executed a search warrant at the Marcum Terrace apartment. Watkins admitted that the officers found a Glock, Model 30, .45-caliber pistol and approximately 10 grams of fentanyl during the search.

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

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. 3:22-cr-74.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Four more defendants were sentenced today for making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Each admitted to a straw purchasing role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jaleel Delaney, 27, of Beckley, Arileah Lacy, also known as “Leah,” 24, of Beckley, Dejaha Morris, 23, of Beckley, and Michelle Grim, 51, of Eccles, were each sentenced to five years of federal probation. Delaney was ordered to serve the first four months on home detention, and Grim was ordered to serve the first eight months on home detention.

According to court documents and statements made in court, each admitted to buying firearms for Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” who told them which firearms to buy at Beckley businesses and provided the money for the purchases. Each time they bought a firearm for Jones, they falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that they were the buyers of the firearms when they knew they were purchasing them for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy.

Lacy bought a Ruger, Model Ruger-57, 5.7x28 caliber pistol, for Jones on April 14, 2021. Lacy further admitted she purchased at least six firearms as part of the overall scheme. Delaney admitted to illegally straw purchasing a Glock, Model 19, 9mm pistol on May 4, 2021, and further admitted to carrying out other straw purchases for Jones and others. Morris admitted that she purchased a Taurus G3C, 9mm pistol for Jones on October 17, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least eight straw purchases for Jones and others. Grim admitted she bought a Taurus, G3C, 9mm pistol for Jones on November 5, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least 17 straw purchases.

Lacy, Delany, Morris and Grim are among 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the firearms trafficking. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.

After five days of trial, a federal jury found Jones guilty on December 16, 2022, of conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to deal in firearms without a license, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and interstate travel with the intent to deal in firearms without a license. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2023, and faces a  maximum penalty of 35 years in prison.

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 District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani prosecuted the cases.

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 Nos. 5:22-cr-46, 5:22-cr-80, 5:22-cr-82, and 5:22-cr-83.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Christopher Stephen Taylor, 52, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 19, 2022, Taylor attempted to print images depicting prepubescent child pornography from two compact disks he brought to the self-service photo kiosk of a St. Albans pharmacy. Taylor was unable to obtain the prints and left the store. A pharmacy employee found the child pornography uploaded to the kiosk and contacted law enforcement.

Taylor admitted to possessing 1,769 images and videos of prepubescent child pornography. Many of the children in the images were under the age of 12. Several of the images depict children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct. Taylor admitted that one of the images depicts an adult male sexually assaulting a prepubescent girl.

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime 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. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the St. Albans Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White 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. 2:22-cr-181.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson had a momentous first year as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of West Virginia.

A series of successful major cases highlighted a federal fiscal year that saw total criminal case filings increase by more than 38 percent in FY 2022 when compared to the prior fiscal year. The district’s ranking for criminal cases filed among all U.S. Attorney’s Offices in FY 2022 was its highest in at least the last five years.

White-collar crime filings more than doubled, while cases targeting violent crimes rose by more than one-third. Drug crime filings accounted for approximately 45 percent of all criminal cases, and included prosecutions under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative.

“The criminal filings in 2022 are the result of the tremendous hard work and commitment to service by our team of eminently capable attorneys, support staff, and our law enforcement partners,” Thompson said.

Thompson was sworn in on October 13, 2021, less than two weeks into the 2022 federal fiscal year. During FY 2022, there were 270 criminal cases filed. Of these, 24 were OCDETF cases and 97 were other drug-related prosecutions. Violent crimes accounted for 98 case filings, up from 68 during the prior year. White collar crimes were 18 of the total, compared to 8 in FY 2021.

Thompson leads 34 attorneys and 41 non-attorney personnel located in offices in Charleston, Huntington, and Beckley. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district including crimes related to civil rights, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, narcotics and terrorism.

The Southern District of West Virginia will be issuing an annual report for FY 2022 that will provide detailed statistics as well as summaries of major cases from the past year. Notable cases include:

Civil Rights: United States v Everett Maynard (2:21-cr-65)

On Nov. 17, 2021, a federal jury convicted Everett Maynard, 45, of Logan, of using excessive force against an arrestee while Maynard was a police officer with the Logan Police Department. Maynard was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release on March 17, 2022.

Violent Crime: United States v Nathaniel Blayn Becker (2:21-cr-234)

On April 19, 2022, a federal jury found Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 43, of Marietta, Ohio, guilty of two counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device and two counts of placement of a destructive device on a vessel, in connection with pipe bombs found on tugboats on the Ohio River. Becker was sentenced on December 1, 2022, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Project Safe Childhood: United States v Todd Christopher Roatsey (2:21-cr-235)

Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, a former counselor at Kanawha County’s Pinch Elementary School, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2022, to attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey was sentenced on December 19, 2022, to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Roatsey was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.

Elder Justice Initiative: Romance Fraud Schemes (3:21-cr-68; 3:21-cr-69; 3:21-cr-70; 3:21-cr-71)

Nine defendants were convicted in connection with multiple internet-based fraud schemes that operated in the Huntington area and defrauded hundreds of individuals across the country.

The fraud schemes targeted potential victims looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Induced into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship or business relationship with false personas, the victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas. The defrauded funds were laundered for distribution among the defendants and others, with some of the funds transferred overseas.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: United States v Jones et al (5:22-cr-46)

Eighteen defendants pleaded guilty and one was convicted by a federal jury in connection with a multi-state conspiracy that trafficked more than 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between early 2020 and mid-2021. Approximately 45 of these firearms have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.

OCDETF: United States v Midkiff et al (3:21-cr-109)

After a long-term investigation, law enforcement officers dismantled a conspiracy that distributed a variety of drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (also known as “crack”), oxycodone, and heroin in the Huntington area between the summer of 2020 and July 2021. All 19 individuals charged in this prosecution were convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in the conspiracy. Four of the defendants were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

OCDETF: United States v Alston et al (2:21-cr-172)

The long-term investigation in this case successfully targeted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated primarily in the Charleston, Rand, and St. Albans areas of Kanawha County. The investigation also thwarted a plan to murder an individual on Charleston’s West Side on July 4, 2021.

Three defendants were found guilty at trial and the other 14 defendants pleaded guilty. To date, 14 defendants have been sentenced to prison. Eight of those defendants were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

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. – Dhanraj Singh, 62, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for interstate transportation of stolen property. Singh also paid $382,449 in ordered restitution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2017 until July 2020, Singh was the maintenance director at a resort in the Southern District of West Virginia. Singh admitted to embezzling $382,449 from the resort by submitting fake invoices that either requested reimbursement when no maintenance work occurred or inflated the cost of maintenance work performed. Singh further admitted to stealing approximately $2,400 to $,2500 from the resort’s petty cash each week. Singh sometimes directed resort employees to withdraw the petty cash on his behalf and deliver it to him. Singh admitted that he routinely transported money he stole from the resort from West Virginia to Maryland, where he would deposit it in his bank accounts.

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

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen E. Robeson prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the U.S. Attorney Office’s Financial Litigation Unit secured restitution in the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-240.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Chadd E. Worley, 44, of Beckley, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 8, 2020, Worley was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement in Beckley. Worley admitted to possessing approximately 23 grams of heroin found in the vehicle. Worley further admitted that he intended to distribute the heroin in and around Raleigh County.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Michigan.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-112.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua Dean Sprague, 42, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to three years and one month 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, Sprague admitted to possessing a Ruger, model LCP, .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol while being pursued by law enforcement officers on May 4, 2022. Sprague was driving in Parkersburg when officers attempted a traffic stop. Sprague fled onto Interstate 77, at times driving in excess of 120 miles per hour. Sprague continued to speed during the pursuit and ran multiple red lights, including at the intersection of the Interstate 77 off-ramp and U.S. Route 50 and at the intersection of Seventh Street and Fairview Avenue.

Sprague lost control of his vehicle on Seventh Street and crashed into another vehicle occupied by a mother and daughter, who were both treated for injuries at the scene. Sprague fled on foot a short distance following the crash before being apprehended. Sprague attempted to discard the firearm in a nearby yard during the foot chase, but it was recovered by officers.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sprague knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for malicious assault on a correctional officer, escape from an institution, and aggravated robbery in Harrison County Circuit Court on February 10, 2004. Sprague also has misdemeanor convictions for assault and domestic violence in  Marietta, Ohio, Municipal Court.    

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department 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 Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:22-cr-140.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Richard Chapman, 42, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to attempted distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from about June 5, 2021, until June 30, 2022, Chapman used a peer-to-peer file sharing program to make 704 digital media files of suspected child pornography available to others. Chapman admitted that the digital media files included an image depicting a prepubescent minor female subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Chapman further admitted to possessing 91 images of child pornography on his personal electronic devices on August 11, 2022. The child pornography included several images and videos depicting infants and toddlers subjected to sexually explicit conduct.

Chapman is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White 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. 2:22-cr-174.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Lawrence Bryant, 32, of Fayetteville, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 1, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bryant’s Fayetteville residence and seized multiple digital media devices including computers, cell phones, and external hard drives. Bryant told the officers that he downloaded and distributed child pornography on various internet platforms and websites from approximately 2017 until March 1, 2021. Bryant admitted that the digital media devices were his and contained images and videos showing prepubescent minor male children subjected to sexually explicit conduct. Bryant further admitted that the child pornography he possessed included a video of a male toddler being sexually assaulted by an adult male.

Officers found a photograph on one of the cell phones depicting Bryant naked with a minor male child who was asleep and in underwear. Bryant admitted to taking the photograph and further admitted that the minor male child was younger than 12 years old.

Bryant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 50 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the FBI Baltimore field office.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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. 2:22-cr-112.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson, along with law enforcement partners, will hold a pair of press conferences on Monday, December 19, 2022, to announce outcomes in three high-profile cases.

At 3:30 p.m. at the Sidney L. Christie Federal Building in Huntington, Thompson will be joined by officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Secret Service, and the Huntington Police Department to discuss:

• United States vs Kymoni Davis (3:20-cr-18)
• United States vs Kenneth Emeni (3:21-cr-68)

At 5 p.m. at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston, Thompson will be joined by officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police to discuss:

• United States vs. Todd Christopher Roatsey (2:21-cr-235)

** NOTE: The start time for each press conference is contingent on the conclusion of the hearings in the respective cases. **

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

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tytus Lamaar Shields, 34, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Shields and searched his Parkersburg residence. Shields admitted that he possessed a Ruger, model LC9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol found by officers.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Shields knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for trafficking in drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in the Washington County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on October 29, 2014.

Shields was on parole at the time of his arrest and has a long criminal history that includes 16 misdemeanor convictions and 17 felony convictions. These convictions include several for drug trafficking offenses in Ohio.

Shields is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 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), the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney  Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-268.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kenneth Emeni, 30, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Martinsburg, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Emeni was also ordered to pay $904,126.96 in restitution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least August 2017 to October 8, 2020, Emeni took part in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million. Emeni’s co-conspirators created false personas to establish romantic, friendship or business relationships with unwitting individuals via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.

Emeni admitted that he accepted money transfers from victims to his bank account that he knew was from unlawful activity. Once the victims’ funds were deposited in his account, Emeni kept some and forwarded some to his co-conspirators via wire transfers or the Zelle digital payments network. Emeni received approximately $42,050 transferred by his co-conspirators’ transfers and transferred approximately $46,197 to his co-conspirators during the money laundering conspiracy. Emeni further admitted that he and his co-conspirators transferred large sums of their fraud proceeds to offshore accounts. From 2018 until 2020, Emeni transferred over $358,846 to accounts in Nigeria and Ghana.

“This heartless conspiracy exploited individuals who often were particularly vulnerable, and wreaked havoc in their lives and that of their loved ones,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department.”

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey prosecuted the case.

The public is encouraged to report potential online fraud activity or scams at https://www.ic3.gov.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps.  Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis.  Reporting is the first step.  Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses.  The hotline is staffed 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

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. 3:21-cr-68.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kymoni Davis, also known as “Money,” 33, of Redford, Michigan, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Davis admitted to shooting into a Huntington club after his ejection during a New Year’s Eve party.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 1, 2020, Davis fired a Ruger & Co., model P95 DC, 9mm pistol through the front door of the Kulture Hookah Bar before fleeing the scene.

Davis had been ejected from the club prior to midnight. Seven individuals were injured in the shooting. Surveillance video captured the shooting, and along with statements from witnesses helped to identify Davis. Spent casings at the scene collected by law enforcement officers were later matched with a firearm seized by Charleston Police officers in an unrelated investigation. Davis was arrested in the Detroit area several months later and returned to West Virginia.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Davis knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for uttering and publishing in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Circuit Court on March 26, 2018, false pretenses with intent to defraud in Kent County, Michigan, Circuit Court on May 24, 2018, and delivering a check without account in Wayne County, Michigan, Circuit Court on January 25, 2019.

“This senseless act of gun violence demonstrates the consequences when firearms are in the wrong hands,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.”

“Protecting the public is ATF’s top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of ATF’s Louisville Division. “Working with local police to provide federal resources, like the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, or NIBIN, is one of the ways we accomplish our mission. This case demonstrates how NIBIN can help investigators link shootings, and how violent offenders are removed from the street when they use firearms to commit violent crimes. I commend the Huntington Police Department, ATF’s Charleston Field Office, and the prosecution team for their work to bring justice to the victims in this case.”

Huntington Police Department Chief Karl Colder also cited the relationship and partnership that HPD has with ATF as members of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.

“I would also like to recognize the effort of the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office assigned to the investigation, and our detectives who spent timeless hours investigating the violent activities of Kymoni Davis,” Colder said. “These investigations of this magnitude can’t be accomplished without collaboration between agencies at the local, state and federal levels. This investigation sends a message that the Huntington Police Department will pursue any and all acts of violence in the city and investigate violent criminal activity.”

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey 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. 3:20-cr-18.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Eddie Guy Jewell, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jewell’s Idlewood Drive residence in Huntington. Officers found approximately 73.73 grams of fentanyl, a Bushmaster, AR-15 5.56mm rifle, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. Jewell admitted to possessing the fentanyl, intending to distribute it in the Huntington area. Jewell further admitted that the search occurred after he sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant on multiple occasions.

Jewell is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of  five years and up to 40 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $5 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. 3:22-cr-155.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – David Frazier, 42, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 9, 2022, Frazier possessed a Taurus, model G2C, 9mm pistol in Huntington.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Frazier knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated robbery in Wayne County Circuit Court on April 14, 2000, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 2, 2018.

Frazier is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of faces a maximum penalty of 10 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 Huntington Police Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-222.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, a former counselor at Pinch Elementary School in Kanawha County, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey must also pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in January 2020, Roatsey communicated via the Snapchat instant messaging application with one girl he believed to be 16 and a second female he believed also to be a minor. Roatsey admitted that he posed as an 18-year-old boy while persuading each to record and send him numerous sexually explicit videos that depicted each female masturbating. Roatsey further admitted that he sent both girls videos of himself masturbating.

Roatsey also used this Snapchat account to communicate with several minor females he knew through his position as a Pinch Elementary School counselor. These communications included more than 100 Snapchat videos that Roatsey recorded while communicating with two minor females, each approximately 12 years old. One was a student at Pinch Elementary at the time. During these conversations, Roatsey received numerous videos of the minor females doing what he called “sexy” dance routines or gymnastics poses such as full backbends. The minor females often wore only sports bras and shorts in these videos. Roatsey admitted to responding to these videos by telling the minor females they were “hot” and “sexy.”

The Court found Roatsey had caused “incalculable damage” to his victims.

“As an elementary school counselor, Roatsey intentionally placed himself in a position of trust over the kinds of children to whom he was sexually attracted,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “In our communities, schools are the only constant for a lot of children. A lot of the time, school is the safe place. The fact that Mr. Roatsey made this not a safe place was, I find, to be very horrific.”

Roatsey further admitted to distributing, receiving, possessing, and accessing child pornography, including images and videos depicting infants and toddlers, through a variety of media between at least October 9, 2019, through July 16, 2021. Roatsey possessed child pornography on devices seized from his residence, including his cell phone, and on the encrypted cloud-based file storage service Mega. Using both Mega and the messaging application Kik, Roatsey distributed various images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to other individuals.

On October 28, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Roatsey’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices found to contain child pornography. Roatsey admitted that several hours after law enforcement completed the search and left his residence, he deleted the Snapchat account he used to engage in these activities. By deleting the account, Roatsey obstructed justice by making various Snapchat records inaccessible to law enforcement and unavailable for any subsequent federal prosecution.

Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.

“Today’s sentencing is reflective of just how despicable and damaging Todd Roatsey’s crimes against children are and emphasizes HSI’s dedication to holding perpetrators accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.  “Today’s sentence sends an important message to all predators. We will not allow any crime against children to go unpunished. HSI is dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable population against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence.”

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted 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. 2:21-cr-235.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of leading a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.

Evidence at trial proved that from approximately June 2020 to July 2021, Jones worked with his fellow gun traffickers and other co-conspirators to recruit individuals from the Beckley area to straw purchase firearms on his behalf. Jones selected the firearms these straw purchasers would buy and provided the money to purchase them. 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 Jones and his trafficking conspiracy, which is a federal crime.

Jones and his co-conspirators then transported those straw purchased firearms to Philadelphia over the course of a nine-month period. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked in the conspiracy, approximately 45 have been recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.

“This ringleader and his co-conspirators contributed to the deadly flow of illegally trafficked firearms into our communities,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The multiple convictions secured in this case are a testament to the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew and our trial team.”

“ATF’s primary mission is to protect the country from crimes involving firearms,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division.  “One of the ways we accomplish this is by identifying sources of crime guns and disrupting firearms trafficking schemes. This investigation demonstrated how Bisheem Jones, and others unlawfully obtained firearms, how their actions put guns into the hands of criminals, and ultimately how those guns were used in serious crimes in multiple states.  The guilty verdict makes it clear; West Virginia is not the place to source crime guns.  I commend the work of the ATF Charleston and ATF Philadelphia offices, and I am grateful for the United States Attorney’s Office who worked hard to hold those involved accountable.”

The federal jury found Jones guilty of conspiracy to travel interstate to engage in the firearms trafficking, the underlying crime of traveling interstate to engage firearms trafficking, and money laundering conspiracy. Jones faces a  maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced.

Three of Jones’ co-defendants pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. A fourth pleaded guilty to conspiracy to travel interstate with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Seven co-defendants pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. An additional seven individuals pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the firearms trafficking conspiracy. Ten of the individuals who had pleaded guilty to their roles in this scheme testified at Jones’ trial.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the jury trial.

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. 5:22-cr-46.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jamon L. Woodson, 39, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with a shooting outside a Charleston business.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2022, Woodson had stopped his vehicle outside Jet Life Apparel on Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston and fired a pistol in the direction of the store. Following the shooting, law enforcement officers recovered a 9mm shell casing from the street and found a bullet hole at the entrance to Jet Life Apparel.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodson knew he was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of his felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana in United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on January 7, 2011.

Following the shooting, officers obtained a search warrant for Jet Life Apparel’s video surveillance system. The video surveillance footage showed Kevin Gerard Denson, 36, of Charleston, carrying a Smith & Wesson, model M&P 15, 5.56-caliber rifle and Jonathan Kennedy, 41, of St. Albans, carrying a Dickinson, model XXPA, 12-gauge shotgun at the time of the altercation with Woodson. Officers recovered both firearms from a vehicle in an alley near Jet Life Apparel. Each firearm was loaded with a high-capacity drum magazine. Denson and Kennedy previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and await sentencing.

Woodson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 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 Charleston Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich 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. 2:22-cr-183.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Daniels, 52, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for filing a false federal income tax return. Daniels previously paid the $280,088 in ordered restitution. He was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least 2013 through at least 2020, Daniels owned and operated Accedia Moving Services LLC. Daniels admitted that he falsely claimed or inflated business expenses to report a taxable income loss of $18,898 on his 2017 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Daniels admitted his business should have reported a profit of $187,771 for tax year 2017.

Daniels further admitted that he reported false information on his U.S. Individual Income Tax Return forms for tax years 2016 through 2019. Daniels reported taxable income losses totaling $164,491 for those tax years when he should have reported income totaling $410,459. The income taxes owed and due total $148,653.

Daniels admitted to failing to properly withhold $119,417.46 in employment taxes, including federal taxes and the employer-due portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Daniels also admitted to failing to pay $12,018 in West Virginia Workers’ Compensation premiums on those unreported wages.

Daniels admitted that the total amount of tax liability that he wrongly withheld from state and federal entities is approximately $280,088.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Nathan of the U.S. Attorney Office’s Financial Litigation Unit coordinated restitution.

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. 2:22-cr-126.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tiffani Meeks, 38, of Barboursville, pleaded guilty today to three counts of wire fraud, after defrauding a Cabell County business while its bookkeeper.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from August 1, 2019, through March 9, 2021, Meeks was the company’s bookkeeper and had duties that included paying bills, monitoring credit and bank statements, maintaining accurate accounting records, and providing those records to the company’s owners upon request. Meeks pleaded guilty to using company credit cards not issued to her to make three unauthorized personal online purchases totaling $7,329.39 between February 19, 2020, and November 3, 2020. Those purchases included $3,179.99 for an inflatable bouncy house.

Meeks further admitted that her unauthorized personal online purchases with company credit cards totaled at least $121,841.60 between February 12, 2020, and June 18, 2021. Meeks made at least  $6,862.83 of the unauthorized online purchases after she was fired by the company on March 9, 2021. To hide her fraud, Meeks had the unauthorized purchases shipped to her residence, mislabeled them as legitimate payments in company records, and withheld pages listing them before providing those records to the owners.

Meeks is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000.00 fine. Meeks agreed to pay restitution. Of the $121,841.60 in authorized purchases, $12,151.15 has been credited back to the company leaving an outstanding balance of at least $109.690.45. 

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 Kristin F. Scott 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. 3:22-cr-119.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Toni Johnson, 58, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence. Johnson admitted to possessing approximately 82 grams of fentanyl found during the search, and further admitted that she intended to distribute it.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Parkersburg Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich 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. 2:22-cr-129.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph David Bailey, 52, of Spencer, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing an unregistered destructive device.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bailey’s residence and found a completed pipe bomb as well as five unfinished pipe bombs in various stages of completion. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) determined that the completed pipe bomb was a destructive device and that Bailey did not register it with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the ATF and the West Virginia State Police.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney 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. 2:21-cr-249.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mary Elizabeth Curran, 37, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 27, 2021, Curran obtained a quantity of fentanyl in Columbus, Ohio, which she intended to distribute in the Parkersburg area. On that date, Curran was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement officers after it entered Wood County from Ohio. Officers suspected that Curran was hiding controlled substances on her person, and she was transported to the North Central Regional Jail for an X-ray body scan.

While awaiting the body scan, Curran clogged a bathroom toilet when she attempted to flush two plastic bags containing powder. The toilet was taken apart and the bags were recovered. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed one bag contained approximately 56 grams of fentanyl and the other bag contained approximately 28.5 grams of a fentanyl analogue. The lab also found Curran’s DNA on one bag, and her fingerprint on the other.

Curran is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five 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 Parkersburg Drug and Violent Crime Task Force and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich 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. 2:22-cr-136.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Jeffery Ullum, 32, of Maysel, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 15, 2021, a law enforcement officer encountered Ullum at the Clay-Maysel GoMart with a handgun in the back of his pants. When Ullum saw the officer, he attempted to flee in a vehicle. The officer ordered Ullum to stop and recovered the handgun, a loaded 9mm Short Hungarian pistol, as well as a loaded Remington 597 .22-caliber Magnum rifle from the vehicle.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Ullum was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 7, 2015.

Ullum is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 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 Clay County Sheriff’s Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey 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. 2:22-cr-36.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Johnathon Earl Hamrick, 33, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 4, 2021, law enforcement officers searched the Parkersburg residence of Hamrick, who then directed them to a rural property in Wood County. Hamrick admitted to possessing a total of 6 pounds of methamphetamine found by officers at the two locations. Hamrick further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine.

Hamrick also admitted that he received quantities of methamphetamine totaling approximately 20 pounds from John Michael Wells II, 33, of Parkersburg. Wells pleaded guilty on March 31, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Wells admitted to paying and arranging for methamphetamine and marijuana to be shipped through the mail from California to Parkersburg in October and November 2021. Wells was sentenced on June 29, 2022, to 10 years in prison.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force (PNTF), and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:22-cr-139.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Alex Barrera, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to run consecutively to the sentence he currently is serving, for possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison. Barrera was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2022, an FCI McDowell staff member conducting a random pat-down search found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in the waistband of Barrera’s pants. The object was a piece of metal about six and one-half inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and the other end wrapped in cloth and a shoelace as a grip. Barrera admitted to possessing the object 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 Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-151.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Courtney Michelle McComas, 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24,2021, McComas sold approximately 1.63 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a vehicle at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Richmond Street in Huntington.

McComas admitted to that transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 2 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on November 16, 2021, in Huntington. On November 19, 2021, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at an Oney Avenue residence and of a vehicle in Huntington. McComas admitted to possessing the approximately 41 grams of fentanyl found by officers during the searches, and further admitted that she intended to distribute the fentanyl.

McComas is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, 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. 3:22-cr-58.

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