Southern District of West Virginia

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dillon Andrew Young, 29, of Sissonville was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Huntington that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Young admitted that he spoke to co-defendant Scott Lee Midkiff on April 9, 2021, using the cell phone of another individual. Midkiff asked Young to bring the phone to him because Midkiff believed that the owner of the phone had stolen a quantity of drugs and money from him. Young agreed to bring the phone to Midkiff in exchange for money and 10 grams of methamphetamine. When Young entered Midkiff’s Huntington residence, law enforcement seized the phone and arrested Midkiff.

Midkiff was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Young pleaded guilty to use of a communications facility in committing, causing, and facilitating a felony, controlled substance offense. The case is the result of a long-term investigation that disrupted the DTO. All 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.

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

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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-109.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Corey Michael Perkins, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to have drugs smuggled into the Western Regional Jail. In a separate case, Perkins was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for aiding and abetting the illegal straw purchase of firearms. The two sentences will run concurrently.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from November to December 2020, Perkins coordinated with multiple individuals to get drugs into the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville. Perkins admitted to using jail phone calls, which were recorded, to arrange for a package containing 228 suboxone strips, 1.4 grams of fentanyl/methamphetamine mixture, and 1 gram of methamphetamine to be transported into the jail. Perkins utilized an inmate and a person who worked at the jail to carry out the scheme. Perkins was aware that the drugs were intended for redistribution in the jail, and that he would receive money in exchange for the drugs.

Perkins further admitted to arranging for another person to buy four firearms for him at a Huntington pawn shop. On June 30, 2020, Perkins picked out the four firearms: a Rock Island M1-1911 FS, .45-caliber pistol; a Taurus 1911, .45-caliber pistol; an Anderson AM-15, multi-caliber rifle; and a Spikes ST-15, .300-caliber rifle. Perkins told an employee he would send someone to purchase the firearms. Perkins admitted that he aided, abetted, counseled, and induced that straw purchaser to falsely state and represent on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms. Perkins was the actual transferee and buyer of the firearms. Perkins further admitted to providing the straw purchaser with the necessary cash to buy the firearms.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Perkins knew he could not purchase the firearms himself because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Cabell County Circuit Court on January 10, 2013.

Perkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute suboxone, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, and to aiding and abetting the making of false statements in the acquisition of firearms.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the ATF, the West Virginia State Police, the Huntington Police Department, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Investigations Unit.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the cases.

The drug case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that seeks 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. 3:21-cr-215 and 3:22-cr-56.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Timothy Wayne Dodd, 46, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to 21 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for helping to operate a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy in and around St. Albans and South Charleston during the summer of 2021.

A federal jury found Dodd guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on March 24, 2022. Evidence at trial revealed that Dodd and co-defendant Shane Kelly Fulkerson divided large shipments of methamphetamine into pound and half-pound quantities for local dealers to distribute. Fulkerson would travel to Kentucky approximately once per week to obtain 20 or more pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Dodd collected and paid Fulkerson $137,740 in drug proceeds between July 10, 2021, and August 11, 2021.

Trial evidence further showed that Dodd continued to collect drug proceeds for Fulkerson following Fulkerson’s arrest and detention on August 12, 2021. Dodd also removed evidence from Fulkerson’s residence following Fulkerson’s arrest but prior to law enforcement officers arriving with a search warrant.

Fulkerson was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison on June 16, 2022. Dodd and Fulkerson are among 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments resulting from a long-term investigation the methamphetamine conspiracy. All 17 defendants have been convicted.

Dodd was on parole at the time he committed this offense, and has prior felony convictions for drug crimes:

• For attempting to manufacture methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 31, 2002.
• For attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Roane County Circuit Court on October 27, 2014. 
• For possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine in Kanawha Circuit Court on November 26, 2019.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.

This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Jason Pearson, 32, of Dunbar, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Pearson admitted to possessing approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine at his First Street residence in Dunbar on July 13, 2022. Pearson further admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others, and that he previously obtained at least 3 pounds of methamphetamine and sold smaller quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant between June 6, 2022, and July 8, 2022.

Pearson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of  10 years and up to life in prison, as well as 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), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).

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. 2:22-cr-156.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Andrew Allen Arnold, 35, of  White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 7, 2019, a law enforcement officer responded to a reported domestic disturbance at a White Sulphur Springs convenience store. The officer encountered Arnold engaged in an altercation with a woman. Arnold denied possessing any weapons when questioned by the officer, who then searched Arnold and found a loaded Charter Arms Shelton, CT .38-caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number in Arnold’s right front pants pocket.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arnold admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for eluding in the Circuit Court of Allegheny County, Virginia, on March 4, 2016. 

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 White Sulphur Springs Police Department.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andy Isabell and former Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Jeffrey 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-197.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leon Eugene Smith, Jr., 41, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith admitted to selling approximately 0.5 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant in Lanark, Raleigh County, for $80 on September 15, 2020. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.

Smith further admitted to selling approximately 1.3 grams of heroin on September 17, 2020, and approximately 1 gram of heroin on September 23, 2020, each time to a confidential informant in Lenark for $160.

Smith will serve the sentence consecutively with a prison sentence of one year and eight months imposed for a supervised release revocation on April 15, 2021. Smith had been on supervised release for his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 8, 2015.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Nick Miller 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-184.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Brian Martell Smith, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and to possession of a firearm with a removed, obliterated, or altered serial number.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 11, 2021, law enforcement officers encountered Martell at Marcum Terrace apartments in Huntington. Martell admitted to possessing a Lorcin L9MM 9mm pistol that he threw away while attempting to flee from the officers, who recovered the firearm. Martell further admitted that the firearm’s manufacturer serial number had been removed, obliterated, or altered.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Smith knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver/manufacture less than 50 grams of cocaine on August 25, 1999, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and weapons felony firearm on September 18, 2008, both in Michigan Third Judicial Circuit Court.

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine.

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

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-76.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a foiled Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.

A federal jury found Wesley guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 26, 2022. Evidence at trial established that Wesley was one of four men who armed themselves at a Rand residence on July 4, 2021, and drove to Charleston’s West Side where they intended to shoot another man. Alerted to the plot, police in marked cruisers converged on the area. The four men abandoned their vehicle in a Lee Street parking lot due to the increased police presence. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered four loaded firearms. The jury found Wesley possessed one of those firearms, a Sig Sauer, Model SP2022, .40-caliber pistol.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wesley knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions:

• For first-degree robbery, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 4, 2005. Wesley participated in the armed robbery of the Empty Glass Café on Elizabeth Street in Charleston on May 2, 2004.
• For being a felon in possession of a firearm, in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 10, 2013. Wesley shot a known individual near the Kickback Lounge located on Central Avenue in Charleston on February 5, 2012. Wesley left the scene of the shooting and returned a few minutes later where he shot the same individual a second time. The victim was seriously wounded, but survived.  The incident was captured on video surveillance from a neighboring building. Wesley was on supervised release for this conviction at the time of the July 2021 murder scheme.

Wesley is among 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments resulting from a long-term investigation of a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy operating in and around St. Albans and South Charleston. All 17 defendants have pleaded guilty or were otherwise convicted.

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), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted 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. 2:21-cr-172.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Snook, 47, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, admitted to possessing a Hi-Point, Model C, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Charleston on August 3, 2020. Snook further admitted to possessing a .22-caliber rifle that had been modified to be less than 26 inches in length on that date.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Snook knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver heroin in Kanawha County Circuit Court on November 14, 2017.

Snook is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2022, 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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Blackwell 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-10.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Gary McComas, 26, of Chesapeake, Ohio, admitted that he obtained multiple money orders in the Huntington, West Virginia area to help an individual in California evade financial reporting requirements. Federal law requires financial institutions to report certain information to the Department of the Treasury whenever a person exchanges cash for a money order in the amount of $3,000 in one transaction or a series of transactions. On June 28, 2018, McComas obtained six money orders, each for $500, from three different Huntington businesses for the purpose of evading financial reporting requirements. McComas further admitted to conducting approximately 200 money order transactions totaling $99,400 in and around Huntington for the same purpose between June 28, 2018, and January 13, 2019. 

McComas is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service and the assistance provided by the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman 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-144.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. –A Kanawha County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Edward Hudson, 50, of St. Albans, admitted to participating in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County. As part of this conspiracy, Hudson sold approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on March 22, 2019. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hudson’s residence on March 23, 2019, and recovered approximately 230.8 grams of pure methamphetamine and $5,160 in cash that included marked bills from the previous day’s controlled buy.

Hudson further admitted to possessing a SWD Cobray, model M11/9, 9mm pistol in St. Albans on May 22, 2021. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hudson admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions, including for attempt to commit a felony in Jackson County Circuit Court on June 30, 2006.

The case is part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in the conviction of 17 individuals for various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Hudson and 13 others pleaded guilty. The remaining three, Timothy Wayne Dodd, Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith, were convicted at trial.

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

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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-172.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Lamont Congleton, 42, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Congleton admitted to possessing a loaded Taurus, Model PT111 G2, 9mm pistol, that law enforcement officers found in his residence on July 29, 2021.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Congleton knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for attempt to commit a felony – delivery of a controlled substance in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 26, 2015.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.

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. 3:21-cr-109.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joseph Ira Patterson III, 38, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and a fentanyl analogue.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Patterson admitted that he sold approximately 8 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Huntington on March 29, 2021, and again on April 21, 2021. Patterson agreed to deliver more methamphetamine to the confidential informant in Charleston. On April 22, 2021, Patterson was driving in Charleston for that meeting when law enforcement officers stopped his vehicle. A search of Patterson’s vehicle yielded 907.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

Patterson admitted he had obtained methamphetamine from a Huntington storage unit prior to traveling to Charleston. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for the unit and seized 282.97 grams of methamphetamine, 231.7 grams of a fentanyl analogue, and 15.70 grams of cocaine as well as nine firearms and drug paraphernalia. Officers also searched Patterson’s Jackson Avenue residence in Huntington and seized 58.345 grams of methamphetamine, 7.50 grams of a fentanyl analogue, 42.53 grams of marijuana and 18.51 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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. 3:21-cr-218.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Donnie Earl Jefferson Jr., 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Jefferson admitted that he possessed a Remington, model RM380, .380-caliber pistol in his pants pocket when law enforcement officers arrested him in Huntington on September 28, 2021.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jefferson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 17, 2012.

Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Marshals Service.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. 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-48.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – After three days of trial, a federal jury convicted Abdul Inusah, 31, of Ghana, for his role in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded individuals in multiple states through the use of false online personas.

Evidence at trial revealed that Inusah was part of a conspiracy that targeted victims using false personas via email, text messaging, and online dating and social media websites. From at least January 2018 through at least December 2019, the scheme sought to induce victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship, or business relationship with the various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.

One false persona, “Miarama,” was used to induce an Alabama resident into providing $106,000 via wire transfers and cashier’s checks. The amount included $48,000 to pay overdue taxes on a nonexistent gold inheritance in Ghana and $21,000 wired to Bitsav Supply LLC, a shell company set up by Inusah. Another false persona, “Grace,” persuaded a Washington resident to wire funds so “Grace” could maintain her South African cocoa plantation and move to the United States to marry the victim. Other victims of the false personas included residents of Ohio and Florida.

The jury found Inusah guilty of receipt of stolen money, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of wire fraud. The wire fraud counts involve a pair of $2,000 Zelle wire transfers to Inusah from the money obtained using the “Miarama” false persona in January 2019.

“It is truly heartbreaking how this conspiracy exploited individuals who were particularly vulnerable, such as following the death of a longtime spouse,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Some of the victims did not recognize themselves as victims, and continued to believe these false personas were real and that they were in actual relationships. 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. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey and our trial team for trying this complex fraud case before the jury.”

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the jury trial. Inusah is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison.

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 10am-6pm 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-70.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mindy Turner, 51, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of stolen property.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Turner admitted to participating in a scheme with Millard Patrick, 53, to obtain vehicles totaling approximately $172,950 in value from car dealerships in Kentucky and West Virginia.

On June 28, 2021, Turner passed a bad check at a Louisville, Kentucky, dealership so she and Patrick could obtain a 2020 Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $53,500. The following day, the two transported that vehicle to West Virginia and were arrested after unsuccessfully attempting to trade that vehicle at a Charleston dealership for a more expensive Ford F-250. On July 14, 2021, while out on bond, Turner and Patrick passed a bad check at a Hurricane dealership to obtain a Jeep Cherokee with an approximate value of $60,056.22. The following day, the pair passed a bad check at a Ripley dealership to obtain a new Ford Explorer with an approximate value of $59,393.48. That same day, Patrick and Turner attempted to obtain a Ford F-150 with an approximate value of $64,108.24 from a Hurricane dealership. They were turned away when the check did not clear.

Patrick also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of stolen property, and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2022.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the assistance provided by the Charleston Police Department, the Hurricane Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisville, Kentucky, Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani 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-18.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Michael Pritt, 40, of Buffalo, Putnam County, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Pritt must also register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 1, 2021, Pritt contacted another man online and arranged to pay him $150 in exchange for the man providing him with a 14-year-old girl for sexual intercourse. When Pritt arrived at the meeting location in South Charleston later that day, he was arrested.

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.

United States District Judge Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Andrew D. Isabell 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-200.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Virginia man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Austin James Quesenberry, 28, of  Dublin, Virginia, must also register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 21, 2021, Quesenberry traveled from Virginia to St. Albans, West Virginia, in order to meet a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, including sexual intercourse. He also sent the purported minor videos of himself masturbating.

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

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston 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. 2:22-cr-11.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Nigerian national pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen money in connection with a fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million.

According to court documents and statements made in court, John Nassy, 29, admitted to participating in the scheme from June 2018 until at least May 2019 while he attended college in Huntington. Other members of the conspiracy created online false personas and contacted victims via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites. The conspirators sought to induce the victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship, or business relationship with various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas. Nassy admitted that he let victims transfer at least $148,000 to his bank accounts that he knew was from unlawful activity.

Nassy further admitted that after the victims’ funds were deposited in his accounts, he kept some of the money for himself and forwarded some of the money to his co-conspirators via the Zelle digital payments network. Nassy also transferred money to bank accounts located in Nigeria.

Nassy is among 10 men charged in four separate indictments with various fraud-related crimes in connection with the scheme. Six co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Charges remain pending against the other co-defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Nassy is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Nassy also agrees that he owes $148,000 in restitution.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting 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 10am-6pm 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. – A Mason County man pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 11, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Joseph Curtis Hubman, 50, of Henderson. Officers recovered multiple external hard drives, mobile phones, two desktop computers and a micro SD memory card. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed more than 10,000 videos depicting child pornography. Hubman admitted that he possessed the child pornography, and that it included videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Hubman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Hubman must also register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting 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. 3:22-cr-24.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tekoa Rivers, 22, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, admitted that he sold approximately 10 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on Third Avenue in Huntington on April 29, 2021.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman 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-27.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Christopher Eugene Capers, 34, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 21, 2020, Capers was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers on Doulton Avenue in Huntington. Capers admitted that he possessed a Taurus G2 9mm handgun found by the officers in his waistband. Capers further admitted that on June 26, 2020, officers found approximately 46.2 grams of crack as well as drug paraphernalia and $3,734.25 in cash in his Huntington residence.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Capers knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for carrying a concealed deadly weapon-second offense on January 14, 2013, attempting to commit the felony of possession with intent to deliver heroin on September 8, 2016, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on February 21, 2019, all in Cabell County Circuit Court.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, the Huntington Police Department, and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers 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. 3:22-cr-26.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Georgia man 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, Brian Donaldson, 30, of Oakwood, Georgia, admitted to selling approximately 8 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the parking lot of a Huntington, West Virginia, restaurant on June 14, 2019.

Donaldson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of  10 years in prison as well as at least 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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-212.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Calvin Moore, 32, of Silver City, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 14, 2021, law enforcement officers visited a Sixth Street residence in Charleston looking for Moore. In an attempt to flee, Moore jumped out of a window of the residence.  After a brief struggle, officers detained Moore and found a loaded Bryco Arms Jennings .22LR firearm with a chambered round in Moore’s front pants pocket. The firearm was found to have been stolen.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Moore is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his 2012 felony conviction in North Carolina for robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2022 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 Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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-217.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Galen Flowers, 40, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a federal search warrant at Flowers’ St. Albans home and at an adjoining property on which Flowers admitted he had been storing some of his property and other belongings, including several cars. DEA agents seized over 1,300 grams of actual methamphetamine and quantities of other controlled substances, including fentanyl, in connection with the search. Agents also seized 21 firearms and a stolen, loaded Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which Flowers had obtained in an exchange for drugs.  

Flowers is scheduled to be sentenced on November 29, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum period of five years imprisonment and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.

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

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani 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-131.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Re'Shaun Lamonte Wilborne, 36, of Charleston, 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, Wilborne admitted he possessed a Jimenez Arms, model JA NINE, 9mm caliber handgun that Charleston Police officers found when they arrested him on July 20, 2021, on an active state drug warrant.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wilborne is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his 2004 felony conviction in Fayette County Circuit Court for sexual assault in the 2nd degree involving a disabled female victim, and his 2017 federal conviction in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He also has a previous state court conviction for failing to register as a sex offender.

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.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani 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-162.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County woman pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, admitting to 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, Alexis Ransom, 24, of Logan, applied for three PPP loans beginning on March 27, 2021, and continuing to August 16, 2021, 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, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business 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 of $13,937.50 each for Renae’s Fashion Consulting LLC, and one loan of $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 is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Ransom also agreed to pay $42,250.00 in restitution.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the West Virginia State Police and the United States Secret Service for conducting the investigation.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting 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. – A federal jury convicted a Logan County man yesterday of accessing with the intent to view prepubescent child pornography.

According to testimony at trial, Raymond Dugan, 55, was found guilty by a jury of his peers of accessing with the intent to view prepubescent child pornography using the TOR browser and the dark web. A forensic analysis of Dugan’s computer revealed 1,237 images of child pornography.

Dugan is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Dugan must also register as a sex offender.

“Bringing child predators to justice is one of the highest priorities of my office,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson.  “I commend our law enforcement partners and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie White and Nowles Heinrich for their outstanding work to secure this guilty verdict.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police Forensic Sciences Laboratory conducted the investigation.  

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.

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. 2:21-cr-127.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Mercer County man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Bobby Glen Trent, 37, of Princeton, admitted to pointing a Diamondback Arms, Model DB9, 9mm pistol at a man on Highland Avenue in Princeton on September 24, 2019. Trent had gotten into an argument with the man while walking by the man’s house.  During the argument, Trent approached the man, pointed the firearm at him, and threatened to shoot him. The man called 911. Trent was eventually arrested by law enforcement officers. The officers recovered the firearm in the bushes near the man’s house.  Trent admitted the firearm had a defaced serial number.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Trent knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for grand larceny and conspiracy in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 4, 2011.

Trent is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2022 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) and the Princeton Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber 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. 1:21-cr-138.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced to four years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other illegal drugs in the Huntington area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Reginald Jerome Hairston, 44, admitted that he conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl between May and July 2021. Hairston acquired quantities of the controlled substances from co-defendant Christopher Leon Vest for purchase by other individuals. Hairston and Vest each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Vest was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison on May 16, 2022.

The case is the result of a long-term investigation that disrupted the DTO and its distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and crack. All 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force. The Southern West Virginia TOC-West Task Force consists of officers with the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the Marshall University Police Department, with support from the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. The Ohio Highway Patrol, the Kentucky State Police, and the FBI and DEA in Columbus, Ohio also assisted in the investigation.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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-109.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joshua Radcliffe, 39, of Shady Spring, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Radcliffe admitted that he used a Cobray Model D, .45/.410-caliber Derringer pistol to rob a Shady Spring convenience store on December 1, 2021. Law enforcement officers found the firearm in Radcliffe’s residence on December 6, 2021, and he admitted to the crime.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Radcliffe was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for conspiracy to use firearms in a drug trafficking crime in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 28, 2019.

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 Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-62.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Andrew Daniel Sprinkle, 35, of Oak Hill, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprinkle admitted to selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Mount Hope on September 21 and September 22, 2020. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Sprinkle’s vehicle following the September 22, 2020, transaction and found cash from the controlled buys, drug paraphernalia, and a Smith & Wesson, model SD9 VE, 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

Sprinkle admitted to possessing the firearm during the September 21, 2020, controlled buy. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sprinkle knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with the intent to sell or deliver marijuana in the District Court of Henderson County, North Carolina, on May 12, 2015.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, 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. 5:21-cr-149.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Maurice Johnson, 36, of Mount Hope, and Beckley residents Donte Webster, 22, and Kyla Gilbert, 25, each pleaded guilty today to making straw firearm purchases in connection with a conspiracy to traffic more than 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Johnson, Webster and Gilbert are among more than a dozen individuals charged in connection with the firearms trafficking conspiracy, which took place from around June 2020 to around July 2021. More than 40 of the firearms have been recovered in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.

“Stopping straw purchasers is critical to keeping our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “As this case continues to show, great harm is inflicted on people’s lives when firearms are provided to those who are prohibited from possessing them. As I’ve stated before, the fact that firearms are being purchased in southern West Virginia and taken to Philadelphia to be used in homicides should be of great concern both to our state and our nation. I commend the ATF for their continuing work in helping us prosecute this case.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson and Webster admitted to purchasing firearms for co-defendant Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh.” Through an intermediary, Jones provided each with the money to purchase firearms and told them which ones to buy.

Johnson admitted to buying a HS Produkt, Model XDS MOD (Springfield Armory), 9mm pistol and a Ruger, Security-9, 9mm pistol, in Mount Hope on December 29, 2020. Webster admitted to purchasing a Glock 19Gen5, 9mm pistol, a Glock 26Gen5, 9mm pistol, and a Taurus G2C, 9mm pistol in Beckley on July 6, 2021. Webster further admitted that he bought at least 13 firearms for Jones in June and July, 2021, so Jones and others could transport and resell them outside of West Virginia.

Gilbert admitted to purchasing two Ruger, Model Ruger 57, 5.7x28-caliber pistols in Beckley on May 10, 2021, for Denise Johnson, a co-defendant of Jones, Maurice Johnson and Webster. Gilbert admitted that Denise Johnson gave her the money to purchase the firearms and told her which ones to buy. Gilbert further admitted to buying at least four firearms for Denise Johnson in April and May, 2021.

Maurice Johnson, Webster and Gilbert each pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms, admitting 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 buying the firearms for someone else.

Five co-defendants have also pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms, admitting to making straw purchases in the conspiracy: Tyana Bly, Stephanie Cohernour, Arileah Lacy, Terri Lawhorn and Lakeshia Nicole Simon. Co-defendant Derrick Woodard pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Six additional defendants have pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the same interstate gun trafficking conspiracy: Megan Bickford, Jaleel Delaney, Michelle Grim, Brandon Lawson, Dejaha Morris, and Sequoyah Swain. The case remains pending against Jones, Denise Johnson and three other co-defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Maurice Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2022. Webster and Gilbert are scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2022. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the cases.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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 and 5:22-cr-127.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Gregory Bush, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Bush was a member of a multi-state methamphetamine distribution organization operating in and around Charleston. Bush admitted that he obtained large quantities of methamphetamine in Decatur, Georgia and distributed it in and around Charleston during the spring and summer of 2021. On July 19, 2021, law enforcement officers tracked Bush from Charleston to Decatur where they observed him meet with his supplier, co-defendant Ramon David Alston. After following Bush a short distance from Alston’s residence, officers stopped the vehicle and seized 913 grams of “ICE” methamphetamine.

The case is part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in the conviction of 17 individuals for various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Bush, Alston and 12 others pleaded guilty. The remaining three, Timothy Wayne Dodd, Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith, were convicted at trial.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.

This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:22-cr-90 and 2:21-cr-00172.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Danise Maurice Fortune, 41, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Fortune sold approximately 11 grams of suspected heroin for $1,300 to a confidential informant in St. Albans on January 25, 2022. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance was approximately 9.2 grams of fentanyl with phencyclidine, also known as PCP.

Fortune is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.

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

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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-69.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, admitting to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of over $41,666 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Malik Breckenridge, 26, of Charleston, applied for and obtained two PPP loans on behalf of his purported business, Malik Breck, between April 4, 2021, and August 10, 2021. Malik Breck was not a registered business entity in West Virginia and was not engaged in substantial, legitimate business activity on or before February 15, 2020. Breckenridge admitted that he falsely stated that Malik Breck was established in 2014 and operating on February 15, 2020. Breckenridge further admitted that he submitted a false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business reporting that Malik Breck had earned $180,489 in gross income during 2019.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans 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.

A Florida lender processed both of Breckenridge’s PPP loan applications. Each loan totaled $20,833. Breckenridge admitted that he later applied to have both PPP loans forgiven even though he had not spent the loan proceeds on permissible business expenses. The SBA forgave the loans on August 8, 2021.

“This is the first fraud conviction related to COVID-19 in the Southern District of West Virginia, and sadly, it probably won’t be the last,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “PPP funds offered a lifeline to small businesses during the pandemic, and this office is determined to hold accountable those who undermine these needed programs through fraud and abuse. This office will continue to prosecute those who take advantage of government programs that are designed to help people who are hurting.”

Thompson commended the West Virginia State Police and the United States Secret Service for their investigative work in the case.

Breckenridge is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Breckenridge also agrees that he owes $41,666 in restitution.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson is prosecuting 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-84.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lettia Harris, also known as “Tish,” 30, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Harris admitted to selling a Jennings, model J22, .22-caliber pistol and approximately 0.6 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” to a confidential informant at her Charleston residence on November 14, 2018.

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.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner 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-117.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Artie Ray Warwick, Jr., 53, of Beckley, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 2, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Warwick’s residence and found in excess of 300 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of heroin, cocaine, and an assortment of prescription pills. Warwick admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine in and around Raleigh County. The officers also recovered 104 marijuana plants that Warwick was growing inside his house.  Warwick further admitted to possessing more than 800 grams of methamphetamine on October 25, 2021, which he intended to distribute in and around Beckley, and to selling small quantities of marijuana.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.  The Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit is comprised 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. 5:21-cr-230.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Lakeshia Nicole Simon, 23, and Tyana Bly, also known as “Biggie,” 22, both of Beckley, each pleaded guilty today to straw purchasing roles in a conspiracy to traffic over 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Simon and Bly each admitted to straw purchasing firearms in Beckley for Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh.” Jones provided Bly with money to buy the firearms and told her which ones to buy, and did the same with Simon through an intermediary.

Simon admitted to purchasing two Ruger Model Ruger 57, 5.7x28mm 5.7-caliber pistols for Jones on April 20, 2021. Simon further admitted to buying at least three additional firearms for Jones in April 2021 so he and others could transport and resell them outside of West Virginia.

Bly admitted to buying two SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistols and a Taurus G3C 9mm pistol for Jones in Beckley on April 2, 2021. Bly further admitted to purchasing at least five firearms for Jones in March and April 2021 so he and others could transport and resell them outside of West Virginia.

Simon and Bly pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms, admitting they 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 while knowing they were purchasing the firearms for someone else.

Simon and Bly are among 13 individuals indicted in connection with their roles in a conspiracy to traffic over 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than 40 of the firearms have been recovered in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent crimes.

Stephanie Cohernour, Arileah Lacy, and Terri Lawhorn previously admitted to making straw purchases in the conspiracy, pleading guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Co-defendant Derrick Woodard pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. The case remains pending against Jones and five other co-defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Simon is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2022, and Bly is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2022. Each 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 ATF’s investigative work.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County woman pleaded guilty today to distributing a quantity of heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Athena Grizzle, 37, admitted to selling a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant at a Shady Spring residence where she was staying on October 15, 2020. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the controlled substance contained heroin and fentanyl.

Grizzle is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-12.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a West Virginia minor to engage in sexual activity. Kenneth Owens, 58, of Surveyor, must also register as a sex offender.

A federal jury found Owens guilty of attempted enticement of a minor on April 7, 2022. Evidence at trial established that Owens attempted to entice a 15-year-old female relative to take and send him sexually explicit photos of herself from April 1, 2020 through Jan. 12, 2021. Owens provided the minor with cigarettes, vapes and alcohol in exchange for the images. Owens initially communicated with the minor female relative through Facebook, and then by cell phone.

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 West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Beckley Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Scott and Steve Loew 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. 1:21-cr-236.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Mercer County man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of hydromorphone.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Eric Hendricks, 46, of Bluefield, admitted he sold four hydromorphone pills for $100 to a confidential informant in the Bluefield area on February 26, 2018. Hendricks further admitted to selling four hydromorphone pills to a confidential informant on February 21, 2018, and again on March 7, 2018.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney John L. File 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. 1:18-cr-90.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Mercer County man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Bluefield residence of Christopher Paul Knight, 56, and seized a laptop computer. A forensic review of the computer revealed more than 1,000 image and video files of suspected child pornography. Knight admitted to downloading and possessing the images and videos of child pornography, which included prepubescent minors engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexually explicit conduct.

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.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber 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. 1:21-cr-262.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Roane County man pleaded guilty today to possessing an unregistered destructive device, after law enforcement officers found a pipe bomb at his residence.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 24, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Spencer residence of Joseph David Bailey, 51. Officers found the 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.

Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2022, 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 West Virginia State Police and the ATF.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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-249.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Russell Loar, Jr., 40, of Washington, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for traveling in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity with a minor. Loar must also register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2021, Loar traveled from Washington, Pennsylvania, to Clay County, West Virginia, to have sex with a 14-year-old minor. Loar had been communicating with the minor via Snapchat for nearly a year, and his communications with her were sexual in nature. The minor’s parents learned about his communications and informed him of her age, but his communications continued. When Loar traveled to Clay County, he met with the minor and invited her into his truck.  The minor’s mother happened to be driving by and intervened. After he was subsequently arrested, Loar admitted to sending a pornographic picture to the minor as well as telling her that he wanted to perform sex acts with her.

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

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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-141.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Antwan Lamar Sherrod, 32, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 1, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Ninth Avenue residence in Huntington and encountered Sherrod in the residence with a Springfield Armory XDS 9mm pistol next to him on a couch.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sherrod knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for felony conspiracy in Cabell County Circuit Court on August 24, 2017.

Sherrod is scheduled to be sentenced on October 17, 2022, 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 Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. 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-22.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Lee Sturkey, 37, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 30, 2021, law enforcement officers observed the driver and passenger of a vehicle at the Third Avenue Speedway smoking marijuana. When Sturkey, the passenger, was asked to step out of the vehicle, he admitted to the officers that he had a firearm. Officers found a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .38-caliber revolver in Sturkey’s left coat pocket.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sturkey knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for the distribution of a quantity of cocaine base in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 23, 2011.

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 imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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-21.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Antonio Smith, 49, of Charleston, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jason Robert Oxley, 38, of St. Albans, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Oxley was on parole at the time he committed these offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith kept firearms and drugs in his residence in Rand for a member of a multi-state methamphetamine distribution organization operating in and around Charleston. On September 29, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence and recovered 31.89 grams of methamphetamine and four firearms, including two semi-automatic rifles: a Glock, Model 39, .45-caliber pistol; an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, multi-caliber rifle; a Norinco, Model MAK-90 Sporter, 7.62 mm caliber rifle; and a Century Arms, Model RAS 47, 7.62 mm caliber pistol. Smith admitted that he possessed the firearms.

Oxley admitted that he obtained methamphetamine and other drugs from two of his co-defendants from March 2020 until June 2021, which he then distributed. Oxley admitted that he sold methamphetamine at his residence to a confidential informant on March 22, 2021 and April 12, 2021. Oxley further admitted that he bought a SWD Cobray, Model M11/9, 9mm pistol from a local gun show on May 21, 2021. Police recovered it the next day after a co-defendant hid it while trying to evade a traffic stop.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Smith knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his convictions for possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine on April 10, 1997, wanton endangerment on March 2, 1998, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance on May 28, 2009, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Oxley knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for operating a clandestine drug lab in Putnam County Circuit Court on August, 31, 2004, for possession of substances used as precursors to manufacture methamphetamine in Kanawha County Circuit Court on June 26, 2017, and for grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 26, 2017.

These cases are part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in the conviction of 17 individuals for various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Twelve others pleaded guilty: Ramon David Alston, James Edward Bennett III, Treydan Leon Burks, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Scott Edward Hudson, and Brian Dangelo Terry. The remaining three, Timothy Wayne Dodd, Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith, were convicted at trial.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha and Putnam County Sheriff’s Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner prosecuted the cases.

This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-00172, 2:21-cr-00171, and 2:21-cr-00211.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shawn Lamont Lane, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 5, 2021, Lane was a passenger in a vehicle encountered by law enforcement officers in the South Hills section of Charleston. The officers subsequently found approximately 11 grams of methamphetamine and 1 gram of fentanyl in Lane’s pocket. Lane admitted that he intended to distribute the drugs. Lane further admitted to possessing a Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 9mm pistol and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine also found in the vehicle. Lane admitted that in furtherance of his drug trafficking, he possessed this firearm along with two others later found in a residence where he was staying: a Norinco SKS, 7.62x39mm rifle and an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, .300 Blackout caliber rifle.

Lane also admitted that on July 15, 2021, he sold 21 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. The next day, July 16, 2021, Lane was stopped by law enforcement in a vehicle in which he was carrying another loaded handgun. Lane was again stopped by law enforcement, on July 20, 2021, and had over $2,300 in drug proceeds.

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.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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-227.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 17, 2021, a woman at a Huntington bar called 911 to report that Terrell Jerome Greenlee, also known as Julian Johnson, 34, of Detroit, had brandished a firearm and pointed it at her. Responding law enforcement officers encountered Greenlee outside the bar and found a loaded Springfield XD 10mm handgun in his waistband. Greenlee admitted to possessing the firearm, and that it had been previously been reported as stolen.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Greenlee knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had been convicted of first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 6, 2014.

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), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

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-224.

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