Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ricky Lee Taylor, also known as “RT,” 58, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other illegal drugs in the Huntington area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Taylor admitted that he arranged a transaction involving cocaine base, also known as “crack,” during a telephone call with an individual in Huntington on May 11, 2021. After the transaction was arranged, Taylor traveled from Charleston to Huntington, met with the individual, and received the drugs. Taylor was subsequently stopped by law enforcement officers on Interstate 64 while returning to Charleston. Officers seized the crack, which Taylor admitted he intended to distribute, and a loaded .40 caliber pistol that Taylor also possessed during the traffic stop.

Taylor previously pleaded guilty to using a telephone to facilitate a felony controlled substance offense. 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.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-109.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman pleaded guilty today to the distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Brenda Crewey, 49, admitted to selling approximately four grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her residence on February 21, 2020. Crewey further admitted that she had been consistently selling methamphetamine and heroine over the previous year.

Crewey 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 $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for conducting the investigation.  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 Attorneys Alex Hamner and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-42.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three Beckley-area residents pleaded guilty today to federal charges involving multiple straw purchases of firearms.

Jaleel Delaney, 27, and Dejaha Morris, 23, pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. Sequoyah Swain, 22, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting another individual in making false statements in acquisition of firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court:

• Delaney admitted to illegally straw purchasing a Glock, Model 19, 9mm pistol from a gun dealer in Beckley on May 4, 2021, to transfer to another individual who has been charged in a pending interstate gun trafficking conspiracy in the Southern District of West Virginia.  Delaney further admitted to carrying out other straw purchases for this individual and others.
• Morris admitted that an individual who has been charged in a pending interstate gun trafficking conspiracy enlisted her to illegally straw purchase firearms in the Southern District of West Virginia and transfer them outside of West Virginia beginning in early 2000 and through at least mid-2021. Morris admitted that this individual directed her to buy a Taurus G3C, 9mm pistol in Beckley on October 17, 2020. Morris further admitted to carrying out at least eight straw purchases for this individual and others.
• Swain admitted to aiding and abetting an individual who has been charged in a pending interstate gun trafficking conspiracy in purchasing a Ruger Model Ruger 57, 5.7x28mm 5.7 caliber pistol in Beckley on April 18, 2021. Swain further admitted to recruiting other individuals to make similar straw purchases.

Delaney and Morris admitted to falsely certifying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that they were the buyer of the firearms for their purchases when they knew they were buying the firearms for someone else.

“The law is clear: when you buy firearms for someone who cannot pass the required background check, you are committing a felony,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The background check system cannot work when “straw” purchasers buy firearms only to provide them to individuals who cannot buy firearms legally themselves. Our office is determined to stop this method of illegally putting firearms in the wrong hands.”

Sentencings are scheduled on November 17, 2022, for Swain and Delaney, and on December 9, 2022, for Morris. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

Thompson commended the ATF’s investigative work in announcing the guilty pleas.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:22-cr-81, 5:22-cr-82, and 5:22-cr-83

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to the distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Eugene W. Williams, also known as “Bo,” 45,  admitted that he sold what he now knows was a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant near Mount Hope in Raleigh County on March 4, 2021. Williams further admitted that he sold another quantity of fentanyl to the same confidential informant on March 11, 2021.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison as well as at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit for conducting the investigation.  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 Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.

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

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against a Nicholas County woman related to the June 3, 2022, shooting in which one Nicholas County sheriff’s deputy was killed and another was wounded.

Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, is charged with knowingly making a false and fictitious oral and written statement by certifying that she was the transferee of a firearm, unlawfully selling or disposing of a firearm to a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm by someone who is an unlawful user of and addicted to methamphetamine and marijuana.

The indictment alleges that Clodfelter purchased a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle in Nicholas County on November 17, 2021, and provided it that day to an individual identified in the indictment as “R.H.” A criminal complaint previously filed against Clodfelter identified the individual as Richie Holcomb, who was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a July 30, 2014, felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court.

Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III was killed and Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in an exchange of gunfire after responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area on June 3, 2022. Holcomb, 36, was fatally shot in the incident.

Thompson commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of the two deputies.

Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution. Clodfelter faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-135.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin.

According to court documents, on February 13, 2020, William Pope, also known as “Shorty,” 47, of Detroit, sold a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant at a trailer where Pope was staying near Beckley. Pope admitted to selling the heroin and to selling what he now knows was fentanyl to a pair of confidential informants during separate transactions on February 6, 2020.

U.S. 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 and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Detroit.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence.  Assistant U.S. 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-111.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Eric Dale Mills, 45, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2021, law enforcement officers found more than 50 grams of fentanyl and a small amount of methamphetamine in a vehicle driven by Mills after conducing a traffic stop. Officers also found small bags for packaging and scales. Mills admitted that he possessed the fentanyl and that he intended to distribute it.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of 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. 5:21-cr-252.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Melissa Waller, 45, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to theft of Social Security benefits.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Waller received Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits on behalf of a deceased relative. Waller admitted that she knew that she was not entitled to receive these SSA benefits once her relative passed away in April 2012. Between June 2012 and April 2020, Waller received $84,509 in federal benefits that she was not entitled to receive and converted those SSA benefits to her own use.

Waller is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 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 Social Security Administration and the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes 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-89.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Joshua Lee Parsons, 42, of Powellton, admitted to ordering controlled substances on the dark web and having the controlled substances shipped to him at his residence. On February 24, 2021, the United States Customs and Border Protection at the John F. Kennedy International Mail Center in New York seized approximately 49 grams of heroin from an inbound international parcel addressed to Parsons and his residence. On March 1, 2021, the United States Customs and Border Protection at the John F. Kennedy International Mail Facility seized approximately 34 grams of MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy, from another inbound international parcel addressed to Parsons and his residence. On March 8, 2021, several law enforcement agencies conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel and executed a search warrant at Parsons’ residence. During the search, officers recovered a loaded Hi-Point .380-caliber handgun and multiple controlled substances including approximately 66 grams of methamphetamine packaged in 103 separate bags, approximately 27 grams of heroin, and quantities of MDMA, ketamine, LSD, psilocin, and DMT.

Parsons admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine. Parsons told officers that he had another parcel that contained methamphetamine that he ordered and had shipped to him at his residence. On March 15, 2021, law enforcement intercepted that parcel, which contained approximately 223 grams of methamphetamine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Customs and Border Protection, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, the Metro Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the West Virginia National Guard Reconnaissance and Aerial Interdiction Detachment.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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-93.

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

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2021, Ricky Lee Clark, Jr., 42, of St. Albans, was carrying a loaded Davis Industries, model P380, .380-caliber pistol in his waistband when law enforcement officers encountered him on a residential street in St. Albans.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Clark knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Kanawha County Circuit Court on June 24, 2020.

Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 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 St. Albans Police Department for conducting the investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for providing valuable assistance.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-59.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Arthur King, 39, of Arkansas, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the West Virginia State Police conducted a traffic stop on U.S. Route 119 in South Charleston on May 19, 2022. King was in the front passenger seat of the stopped vehicle. King later admitted to possessing approximately 690 grams of methamphetamine found in a backpack located in the vehicle, and further admitted that he intended to distribute that methamphetamine to other people. On the same date, officers executed a search warrant of a Charleston hotel room rented by King and found over 400 additional grams of methamphetamine, over 150 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, and two pistols.   

King is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up $5 million.

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

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger 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-121.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – John Michael Wells, II, 33, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Wells was responsible for approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine being shipped from California to Parkersburg and distributed in the Parkersburg area. Wells admitted to paying and arranging for methamphetamine and marijuana to be shipped through the mail from California in October and November 2021. The methamphetamine and marijuana were subsequently distributed for sale by other individuals, who provided Wells with the cash proceeds. Wells used this cash to order more methamphetamine and marijuana from his suppliers.

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

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-266.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Keegan Shane Stanley, 31, of Poca, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for transportation of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Stanley admitted to uploading videos of child pornography to Dropbox, an online file sharing website, with his computer on May 9, 2021. After receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the Dropbox activity, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Stanley's residence  on August 5, 2021. Officers seized the computer and other electronic devices during the search. A forensic analysis revealed over 1,600 images of child pornography on Stanley's computer. Stanley admitted to knowingly possessing the images, and further admitted than many depicted prepubescent minors while some depicted minors engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White 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. 3:21-cr-208.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and violating his supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 7, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Washington Avenue residence in Huntington. Edward Sample, also known as “Caine,” 37, of Baltimore, was located in the house along with other individuals. Officers seized a loaded Taurus G3C 9mm pistol, capsules which contained  heroin and fentanyl, $1,620 in cash, digital scales and a cutting agent during the search. Sample admitted to possessing the firearm to protect his money and drugs. Sample further admitted to using the same firearm two days earlier to shoot at a house in the Cross Lanes area in order to collect a $50 drug debt. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department investigated that incident.

Samples was previously convicted of aiding and abetting an armed robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in United States District Court for the District of Maryland on January 21, 2011. Today’s nine-year prison sentence includes two additional years for committing crimes while on supervised release.

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

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey 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-58.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A convicted sex offender residing at a Charleston homeless facility pleaded guilty today to possessing child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 25, 2020, James Gipson, 59, was in the common room of a homeless facility on Leon Sullivan Way when facility staff observed Gipson looking at child pornography on a laptop he possessed. The staff summoned police, who recovered the laptop. A forensic analysis found more than 300 images depicting child pornography on Gipson’s laptop. Gipson admitted that the laptop was his and that he knew he should not have possessed it.

Gipson was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on March 5, 2012. Gipson was on lifetime supervised release as a result of that conviction when he committed this new crime. Gipson was also a registered sex offender at the time of this incident as a result of the 2012 conviction.

Gipson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison as well as at least five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the Charleston Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department for conducting and assisting in the investigation. Thompson also credited the shelter staff for being vigilant in protecting their facility and its residents.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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. 2:21-cr-92.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Pennsylvania man and a West Virginia woman pleaded guilty today to roles in a conspiracy to traffic over 130 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.

Derrick Woodard, also known as “D,” 26, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Stephanie Cohernour, 33, of Fayetteville, pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Woodard admitted to traveling to Beckley with Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh,” and several other co-defendants on October 17, 2020, to obtain firearms with plans to resell them for profit in Philadelphia. Cohernour admitted to straw purchasing firearms in Beckley for Jones, and that through an intermediary Jones provided the money for her to buy the firearms and told her which ones to buy.

Cohernour admitted to buying a Glock Model 19 Gen 5, 9mm pistol and a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm pistol for Jones on April 12, 2021. Cohernour admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 when she certified that she was the buyer of the firearms, knowing she was purchasing the firearms for someone else.

Jones is separately charged in the gun trafficking conspiracy indictment, which alleges that Cohernour and other straw purchasers bought over 130 firearms in or near Beckley during the scheme and delivered them to others in the conspiracy for transfer to Philadelphia. 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.

Co-defendants Arileah Lacy, also known as “Leah,” and Terri Lawhorn previously pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of firearms. The case remains pending against Jones and four 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.

Woodard and Cohernour are scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2022. Woodard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Cohernour 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.

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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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman was sentenced today to three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for her role as a money mule in a Nigerian fraud scheme that scammed money from individuals, many of whom were elderly. Patricia Dudding, 70, was also ordered to pay $1,788,589.24 in restitution

According to court documents and statements made in court, Dudding admitted that she received and wired fraudulent funds through numerous accounts she set up in her name at several different banks from May 2018 through July 2019. Dudding admitted that she did so at the direction of an individual she met online and knew as “Lucas Bennito Antonio” or “Lucas.” Dudding received numerous deposits in those bank accounts from “Lucas” and other individuals located in the United States and abroad. Dudding, and unnamed co-conspirators, would then transfer these funds to bank accounts located in Nigeria.

Dudding further admitted that she became aware that the activities of “Lucas” were not legitimate. A series of employees at the various banks questioned Dudding about her transactions, and in several instances closed her accounts for suspected fraud. To further the scheme, Dudding made false and fraudulent representations to these financial institutions to make it appear that the wire transfers were being sent for legitimate purposes. On April 26, 2019, Dudding sent a wire transfer of $39,000 from her account to an individual in Montana. Upon questioning by a bank employee, Dudding lied about the wire transfer to aid Lucas in completing the transfer of funds to the designated recipient in Montana.

Dudding further admitted that she withdrew victim funds for her personal benefit. According to Dudding, she used the funds to pay her utility and satellite television service. She also used the funds to purchase groceries, drug store items, gasoline, department store items, and restaurant meals. Dudding also made numerous cash withdrawals.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the case.

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage.  Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.  The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

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-1.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the distribution of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Deandre Antonio Ziegler, 31, who is also known as “Little D,” admitted to distributing crack to an undercover informant on five different occasions in July and August 2020.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department Drug Unit and the FBI’s Southern West Virginia Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) West Task Force.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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-17.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis Ray Pelfrey, Jr., 36, admitted that he used eDonkey, an online file sharing program, from November 2018 to December 2019 to download and share videos and images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Pelfrey further admitted that on October 7, 2019, he used his computer to receive videos containing child pornography. Pelfrey admitted that 24 videos and five images he possessed on his computer depicted minors engages in sexually explicit conduct. Several of the images and videos have been identified as depicting known children. Pelfrey admitted that he engaged in this sort of activity since 2014.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia State Police.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White 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. 3:21-cr-244.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other illegal drugs in the Huntington area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott Lee Midkiff, 36, admitted that he participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy from the summer of 2020 to July 2021.  During the conspiracy, Midkiff frequently obtained quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to distribute to various customers in the Huntington area. Midkiff provided the drugs to customers on consignment and was aware his customers intended to redistribute the drugs. Midkiff also admitted that he participated in arranging drug transactions by steering customers to certain drug dealers when customers would contact him.

On April 5, 2021, investigators seized over 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 130 grams of fentanyl and $84,000 in cash that Midkiff had arranged to be hidden in a vehicle parked in Huntington. When a search warrant was executed in the investigation on July 29, 2021, agents seized an additional 133 grams of fentanyl and $11,600 from a residence Midkiff shared with another individual.

Midkiff previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The case is the result of a long-term investigation that disrupted the DTO and its distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “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  is comprised 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.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-109.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County woman was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Pamela Sue Gillman, 52, sold fentanyl and heroin to an undercover informant on three occasions in October and November 2020. Gillman also admitted that in September 2021, she possessed 8 grams of fentanyl and 1.8 grams of heroin that she intended to distribute.

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

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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-168.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Logan County resident was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for prohibited interception of oral communications. Randall Dwight Holden II, 33, was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Holden admitted to secretly recording a video of a woman engaged in sexually explicit conduct in her Logan County home on November 25, 2017. The video was later uploaded to the internet without the victim’s knowledge. The video was one of several secretly recorded videos that Holden had created and posted online depicting the victim.

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

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald 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-6.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Charles Stanley, 51, of Shady Spring, admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson 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-4.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ian Wyatt Justice, 20, of Huntington, was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 16, 2021, law enforcement officers were conducting a drug investigation and observed Justice enter a Charleston Avenue residence in Huntington. The officers executed a search warrant at the residence on that date and Justice, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested. During the search, officers seized a number of items, including fentanyl, three firearms, and items used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Justice admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl and that he had been selling fentanyl in Huntington in the months leading up to the search.

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

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

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-9.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced to prison today for aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties. Christopher Priestley, 44, of Boone County, was sentenced to one year in prison while Earnest Wriston, 56, of Ohio,  was sentenced to two years in prison. Both face three years of supervised release after their prison terms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Priestley, of Seth, and Wriston, of Sidney, Ohio, each admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.

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).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the cases.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-219 and 2:21-cr-269.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Huntington residents were sentenced to prison today for federal drug crimes. Erica Antoinette Kirker, 35, was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Marcus Allen Johnson, 37, was sentenced to two years of prison to be followed by one year of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 5, 2021, Kirker possessed approximately 1.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 138 grams of fentanyl, and over $84,000 in cash at her Third Avenue residence. Kirker admitted to placing the items in a vehicle and parking the vehicle in a parking garage in downtown Huntington. Investigators conducted a search of the vehicle on that date and seized the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cash. Kirker admitted that she intended to sell the drugs and that the currency constituted proceeds from prior drug sales. Kirker pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Johnson admitted that on June 5, 2021, he used a telephone to assist a co-conspirator involved in cocaine sales in Huntington. Johnson admitted that he was contacted and enlisted by the co-conspirator to find purchasers for kilogram quantities of cocaine.  During the calls, Johnson agreed to market the cocaine to prospective purchasers. Johnson pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.

Kirker and Johnson are among 18 indicted individuals who have all pleaded guilty after a long-term investigation disrupted a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) that had distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, oxycodone, heroin, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

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 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 sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.

This case 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. 3:21-cr-109.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Lawrence Lee Hart, 61, of Raleigh County, and Steven Alfred Bennett, 57, of Kanawha County, were each sentenced today to 10 years in prison for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Both face 20 years of supervised release following their prison sentences and each must register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Hart, of Glen Daniel, contacted another user on a dating app on October 1, 2021, who told Hart that she was only 13 years old and located in Beckley. After learning her age and that she was a virgin, Hart offered to teach her about sex. Over the next month, Hart engaged in extensive text and phone conversations with the girl during which he instructed her on masturbation, oral sex, and sexual intercourse. Hart also asked her to send him a sexually explicit image of herself and he sent her sexually explicit photographs of himself. On November 5, 2021, Hart was arrested when he went to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Hart pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

Bennett, of Montgomery, admitted that he responded to a Craigslist ad in October 2020 from a woman allegedly located in Beckley. During their conversations, Bennett arranged to meet the woman in Beckley and pay $150 to engage in sexual activity with an 11-year-old girl who the woman had stated was her daughter. Bennett skipped the arranged meeting after he saw a local news story about a man getting arrested for responding to the same Craigslist ad. A subsequent search of Bennett’s home located computers that contained suspected child pornography, including an image of a prepubescent female that Bennett had received during a 2016 Skype conversation. Bennett pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences, citing the deplorable and horrendous conduct in each case. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the cases.

These cases were 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 Nos. 5:21-cr-254 and 5:21-cr-20.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, 46, participated in a drug trafficking ring operating in and around St. Albans from March 2021 until September 2021. Fulkerson admitted that he distributed large quantities of methamphetamine that he obtained from out-of-state.

Fulkerson further admitted to selling more than 100 grams of methamphetamine to an informant on three occasions in July and August 2021. On August 11, 2021, Fulkerson fled on a motorcycle from law enforcement officers in Poca, Putnam County. He was arrested after dropping the motorcycle in a private yard near Winfield and fleeing on foot. Police recovered 95 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, and more than $70,000 from Fulkerson’s backpack.  The next morning, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fulkerson’s St. Albans residence and seized more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 22 firearms as well as several vehicles that were used to facilitate drug trafficking or were purchased with drug proceeds.

This case is part of a long-term investigation of methamphetamine distribution that resulted in 17 individuals being charged with various drug and firearm offenses in three separate indictments. Fulkerson and 13 others pleaded guilty: Ramon David Alston, James Edward Bennett III, Treydan Leon Burks, Jonathan Gregory Bush, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, Kelly Cordle, Denise Marie Cottrill, Brittany Frances Gilbert, Angie Lane Harbour, Scott Edward Hudson, Jason Robert Oxley, Michael Antonio Smith, and Brian Dangelo Terry. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial. Douglas Jonathan Wesley and Leo Antoine Smith were convicted on May 26, 2022, following a three-day jury trial. Dodd, Wesley and Smith are scheduled to be sentenced in August.

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. 2:21-cr-171, 2:21-cr-172, and 2:21-cr-211.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Montana man pleaded guilty today to two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2021, Gary Lee Hodges, 71, of Big Fork, Montana, contacted a woman in Beckley on a social networking website dedicated to individuals interested in sexual fetishes. Hodges learned that the woman had two daughters, ages 11 and 13. Hodges expressed interest in coming to West Virginia to establish a household with the woman and children, where he would engage in sexual activity with both minor females. Specifically, Hodges stated that he planned to engage in sexual intercourse and oral sex on a regular basis with both minor females.

During the next month, Hodges continued to make plans to travel to West Virginia to meet the woman and her daughters. To encourage the children to engage in sexual activity with him, Hodges sent them lingerie and other gifts and booked a trip to take them to Washington, D.C., to visit the zoo. Hodges reserved a hotel room in Beckley to meet the woman and the girls. Hodges flew to Charleston on January 14, 2022, where he was arrested.

Hodges is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30, 2022, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, as well as five years to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

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

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and third-year law student intern Ryan Vick handled today’s plea hearing.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-33.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 21, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Shady Spring residence of Larry Wayne Meadows, 70. Officers found approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, several grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, and a large assortment of prescription pills. Meadows admitted that he possessed these drugs with the intent to distribute them. Meadows further admitted to possessing four firearms that officers also found inside his residence.

Meadows is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit (BRCDVCU).

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-99.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 30, 2016, Donald Ray Jackson, 38, of Columbus, assisted in the sale of what was purported to be heroin to a confidential informant in Huntington. A forensic chemist who analyzed the substance subsequently found it to contain a mixture of both heroin and fentanyl.

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

United States District Judge 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. 3:17-cr-183.

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HUNTINGTON W.Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen money, for his role in a scheme that defrauded more than 200 victims, many of them elderly, of at least $2.5 million.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Oluwabamishe Awolesi, also known as Oluwabamise Johnson, 29, of Beltsville, Maryland, admitted that one victim of the scheme transferred a total of $90,000 into Awolesi’s checking account in September 2018. He kept $12,000 of the total and forwarded the rest to others involved in the scheme.

Awolesi lived in Huntington during his involvement in the scheme. Three indictments targeting the scheme allege that from 2016 to 2020, multiple defendants participated in a series of romance and other online scams designed to coerce vulnerable victims into sending money to various bank accounts controlled by them. The indictments describe romance scams as online schemes that target individuals looking for romantic partners, friendship, and other close personal and business relationships on dating websites and other social media platforms. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy created profiles using fictitious names, locations, and images which allowed them to cultivate relationships with the victims. To carry out the schemes alleged in the indictments, victims were often led to believe that they were in relationships with U.S. residents working abroad. However, the investigation revealed that the individuals the victims viewed as their romantic partners were false personas created by members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracies.

At the early stages of the romance scams, the fraudsters frequently requested relatively small gifts, such as gift cards and cell phones from their victims. As the relationships continued, they requested increasingly larger sums of money from their victims. Mr. Awolesi opened bank accounts and received the proceeds of the romance scams through those accounts. Members of the fraud and money laundering conspiracy also occasionally used cryptocurrency and celebrity meet-and-greet scams to obtain money from their victims.

Awolesi, a citizen of Nigeria and the United States, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,00 fine. As part of  his plea, Awolesi agreed to pay $90,000 in restitution.

The cases are the result of a long-term investigation that spanned approximately two years. United States Attorney Will Thompson made today’s 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 Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey are prosecuting the case.

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 Huntington man was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2020, Trevor Wesley Davis, 29, sold a pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $4,000 on a 16th Street parking lot in Huntington.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-177.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 10, 2021, law enforcement officers observed multiple suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions at a Fifth Avenue residence in Huntington involving an individual later identified as Curtis Leroy Hayes, Jr., 47. When Hayes left the residence in a vehicle, officers initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. Hayes was arrested, and officers found approximately 6.4 grams of suspected heroin on his person. Hayes admitted to officers that he had been selling heroin for several months. Officers executed a search warrant at Hayes’ residence, where they recovered a loaded Bryco Arms, Jennings Model Nine 9mm pistol in his bedroom.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hayes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his convictions for first-degree murder and second-degree murder in Cabell County Circuit Court on December 19, 1995, and for possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 27, 1995.

Hayes is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1.25 million fine.

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

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe 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. 3:21-cr-251.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The former counselor at Pinch Elementary in Kanawha County pleaded guilty today to attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, admitted to posing as an 18-year-old boy while using the Snapchat instant messaging application to communicate with multiple minor females.

Beginning in January 2020, Roatsey began communicating via Snapchat with one girl he believed to be 16 and a second female he believed also to be a minor. He persuaded each to record and send him numerous sexually explicit videos that depicted each female masturbating. Roatsey also sent both girls videos of himself masturbating

Roatsey further used this Snapchat account to communicate with several minor females he knew through his position as a Pinch Elementary School counselor. These communications included more than 100 Snapchat conversations Roatsey recorded with two of these minor females, both approximately 12 years old and one of whom was then a student at Pinch Elementary. During these conversations, Roatsey told the girls that they were “hot” and “sexy” and received numerous videos of the minor females doing “TikTok” style dance routines wearing only sports bras and shorts. In other videos, the minor females would do various gymnastics poses such as full backbends.

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

On October 28, 2021, Roatsey deleted the Snapchat account he used to engage in these activities within hours of Homeland Security Investigations executing a search warrant at his residence and seizing numerous electronic devices found to contain child pornography. By deleting the account, he obstructed justice by making various Snapchat records inaccessible to law enforcement and unavailable for any subsequent federal prosecution.

“The crimes to which the defendant pleaded guilty today are truly horrific,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “They are made even worse because the defendant was a school counselor at a grade school. Schools are often the only constant for so many of our children, and are often seen for some children as their only safe place. Due to the challenges our children face today, it has never been more important for our children to have grown-ups at school they can turn to and trust. Our children need to feel safe in our schools.”

“The demand for justice in this case could not have been more clear, and was made possible by the excellent investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and its task force officers,” Thompson continued. “I also commend Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald for prosecuting the case.”

“Mr. Roatsey abused his position of trust in order to victimize the most vulnerable members of our society” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brenda Nevano of HSI Washington, D.C. “Today, he will begin the process of repaying his debt to society.  HSI Washington, D.C. is proud to have partnered with the United States Attorney’s Office to bring Mr. Roatsey to justice, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect the law-abiding citizens under our care.”

Roatsey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2022. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Roatsey faces between 25 and 35 years in prison, to be followed by federal supervised release for the rest of his life. He must also register as a sex offender.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-235.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted Jason Shortridge, 39, of Ronceverte, of possession and attempted distribution of child pornography.

Evidence at trial revealed that on May 1, 2019, Shortridge downloaded and made available for sharing child pornography online using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Shortridge’s residence and seized a computer belonging to Shortridge. A forensic examination of the computer located hundreds of images of child pornography, primarily from the deleted space of the computer. Two computer forensic experts testified that during their examination of Shortridge’s computer, they recovered child pornography as well as search terms used to actively search for child pornography. Evidence showed that Shortridge possessed over 600 computer graphic image files containing images and videos of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

Shortridge faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced.

“Such crimes of child sexual exploitation must never be tolerated, and I commend the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Monica D. Coleman and the trial team for prosecuting the case.”

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-223.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release for the rest of his life, for producing child pornography. Brian Wayne Shaffer, 51, must also register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Shaffer admitted that he used his cell phone to photograph the genitalia of a prepubescent female minor with whom he was living in August 2021. Shaffer further admitted that he used his cell phone to upload the nude photo of the prepubescent female minor and sent it to another individual who Shaffer had been communicating with on YouTube. Shaffer admitted he uploaded the photograph using his Gmail address on or about August 24, 2021. At the time Shaffer produced child pornography of the prepubescent female minor, he previously had been convicted of first-degree sexual assault of another prepubescent female minor in Kanawha County Circuit Court on March 2, 2001.

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

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-195.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, distributing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack.

Michael Andrew King, Jr., 35, was found guilty by a federal jury following his August 2021 trial. He also faces five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, King distributed methamphetamine to an individual in Montgomery, West Virginia, on January 4, 2019. Three days later, King distributed crack to that same individual in Montgomery. On February 2, 2019, King was in Cleveland, Ohio, and placed over 400 grams of methamphetamine and over 80 grams of crack in a female’s vehicle without her knowledge. King arranged for the female to follow him back to Charleston that same day. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of King as he followed the female’s vehicle, and after a traffic stop of both vehicles, seized the methamphetamine and crack that King had previously placed in the female’s vehicle.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work involved in the case. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Charleston Police Department, the South Charleston Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Parkersburg Police Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-23.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson announced today that a Nicholas County woman has been charged with a federal gun crime related to the June 3, 2022, shooting that left one Nicholas County sheriff’s deputy dead and another wounded.

Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, is charged with providing a firearm to a felon. The criminal complaint alleges that on November 17, 2021, Clodfelter purchased a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle for Richie Holcomb.

Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a July 30, 2014, felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court. The criminal complaint alleges that Clodfelter was aware of Holcomb’s previous conviction and that he was unable to buy the firearm himself.

Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III was killed and Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in an exchange of gunfire after responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area on June 3, 2022. Holcomb, 36, was fatally shot in the incident.

“Our law enforcement officers face uncertainty each and every day as they perform their duties and protect our communities. The crime alleged in this complaint underscores that grim reality,” Thompson said. “I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for its swift and thorough investigative action in this case.”

“The ATF Charleston Field Office assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of two deputies," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Division, which covers West Virginia.  "Special agents, with the support of the ATF National Tracing Center, conducted an investigation resulting in federal firearms charges against Melanie Clodfelter. Federal law prohibits felons from receiving or possessing firearms, and this tragic incident shows why. ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will work together to hold accountable those who enable violent crime in our communities.”

Clodfelter was arrested on June 4, 2022. She made an initial appearance on June 7, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Dwayne L. Tinsley, who scheduled her preliminary hearing for June 14, 2022. Clodfelter faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner is handling the prosecution.

Note: The charge contained in the complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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-mj-69.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ricky Sprouse, 53, of Raleigh County, and Stuart Dotson, 55, of Fayette County, were sentenced today to nine months in prison and one year in prison, respectively, for their roles in the destruction of an energy facility, a known mine located across Boone and Lincoln counties.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sprouse, of Naoma, and Dotson, of Mount Hope, each admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment from the known mine in 2019. These thefts forced the mine to shut down for a period of two weeks as the mine was unable to function without the stolen pieces of equipment. The thefts also resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the mine.

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).

Each man pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility. Both face three years of supervised release after their prison terms.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed Sprouse’s sentence. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed Dotson’s sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson prosecuted the cases.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-cr-143, 2:22-cr-45, and 2:21-cr-182.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Nicholas County man pleaded guilty today to possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2019, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at the residence of David Keith Nutter, 55, of Summersville. Nutter admitted that the officer recovered multiple firearms: a Rexio, SRL, .22-caliber revolver; a Harrington and Richardson 20-gauge shotgun; a Marlin, Model 25MN, .22-caliber rifle; and an Ithaca 20-gauge shotgun. Assorted ammunition was also recovered.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Nutter knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior convictions for domestic violence in Canton, Ohio, Municipal Court on July 14, 1998, and for endangering children and domestic violence on a family or household member in the Stark County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on August 19, 2002.

Nutter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 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 Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department for conducting the investigation.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman and third-year law student intern Eric McLain handled today’s plea hearing.

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-142.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mingo County woman pleaded guilty today to theft of government benefits and making materially false statements to federal agents.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Diana Cisco, 69, of Delbarton, admitted that she received Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits on behalf of a deceased relative. Cisco knew that she was not entitled to receive these federal benefits. From June 2016 to April 2020, Cisco received $46,356 in federal benefits that she was not entitled to receive and converted those funds to her own use. Cisco further admitted that she did not have a legal right to these Social Security benefits once her relative passed away and that she knew her conduct in taking those benefits was wrong.

Cisco also admitted to providing false information to Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) special agents on March 4, 2022.  Cisco initially denied who she was, falsely claiming to be her sister, and further informed the agents that Diane Cisco would be in Columbus, Ohio for at least a month. The federal agents were able to uncover the falsehood through checking vehicle registration records and photographs of Cisco and obtaining statements from individuals who had recently seen Cisco. Confronted again, Cisco admitted that she was not telling the agents the truth and that she was, in fact, Diana Cisco.

Cisco is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General and the Social Security Administration.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes 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-88.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Rodney Alexander Minter, 62, of Logan, admitted that he sold a total of approximately 46 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover informant on five separate occasions in 2020 and 2021. Minter further admitted that on August 9, 2021, he possessed with the intent to distribute 104 grams of methamphetamine and 8 grams of fentanyl.

Co-defendant John Eric Dickson, 59, of St. Albans, was previously sentenced to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. Dickson admitted that he supplied Minter with an ounce of methamphetamine on January 5, 2021, to sell to another individual.

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

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans 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-169.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Jamaican national pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien, and was remanded to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Edwin Hugh Douglas, 53, of Kingston, Jamaica, admitted that he was found in a Parkersburg municipal building by ICE agents on December 3, 2021. ICE agents had identified Douglas in the course of an investigation. ICE agents spoke to Douglas, who admitted that he is a citizen of Jamaica and had been previously removed from the United States. Douglas had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States and was arrested.

Fingerprints matched Douglas to a November 9, 2009, administrative removal from the United States to Jamaica. Douglas was also convicted on June 17, 2004, of felony unlawful assault in Wood County Circuit Court. Douglas never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, nor did he seek to reenter through other legal means.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing, sentencing Douglas to the time he has served in custody since his arrest before remanding him to ICE custody. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes 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-264.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman pleaded guilty today to making false statements in the acquisition of firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Whitney Kathlyn Hershey, 35, admitted to lying on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473, when she bought a Glock, Model 27, .40-caliber pistol in Huntington on February 14, 2020. Hershey certified on the ATF Form 4473 that she was the purchaser of the firearm when she knew she was buying it for someone else. Hershey further admitted to buying firearms on three other occasions and stating on the forms that she was the actual purchaser when she was not.

Hershey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 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 Huntington Police Department and the ATF for conducting the investigation.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-23.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to three years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Parrish Wayne Spurlock, 55, sold 0.8 grams of suspected fentanyl behind his North High Street residence to a confidential informant on May 11, 2021. The suspected fentanyl field-tested positive and was ultimately confirmed as fentanyl by the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory. Spurlock admitted to law enforcement officers that he had sold significant amounts of methamphetamine and heroin over an approximate one-year period.  

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

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. 3:21-cr-250.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Will Thompson issued the following statement regarding Nicholas County Sheriff's Deputy Tom Baker, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Friday, June 3, 2022, and Corporal J. Ellison, who was shot and wounded in the same incident.

Yesterday evening, two officers with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department put themselves in harm's way in the performance of their duties. Deputy Tom Baker and Corporal J. Ellison were shot while responding to a domestic disturbance. Deputy Baker succumbed to his injuries. I am grateful to learn that Corporal Ellison was treated for his injuries and released. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by our law enforcement officers in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. We mourn with Deputy Baker's loved ones, our fellow law enforcement partners, the Nicholas County community and all of West Virginia. We are resolved that Deputy Baker's service and selfless dedication will be forever remembered.

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

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley woman was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 25, 2020, Candice Nicole Long, also known as “Candace Long,” 26, was at her residence when she sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while possessing a .380-caliber handgun in her waistband. On February 28, 2020, officers executed a search warrant on her residence and recovered the firearm.

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

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk 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. 5:21-cr-228.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three individuals pleaded guilty today to federal charges involving the straw purchases of multiple firearms.

Michelle Grim, 51, of Eccles, and Megan Bickford, 34, of Oak Hill, each pleaded guilty to making false statements in the acquisition of firearms. Bickford’s husband, Brandon Lawson, 32, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty to transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Grim and Bickford each admitted to lying on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473, or ATF Form 4473. In making separate firearms purchases, Grim and Bickford each certified that they were the buyer of the firearm on the form when each knew they were purchasing firearms for someone else.

Grim admitted to lying on an ATF Form 4473 when she purchased a Taurus, G3C, 9mm pistol in Beckley on November 5, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least 17 straw purchases. Bickford admitted to lying on an ATF Form 4473 when she purchased a IWI, Model Jericho 941, 9mm pistol in Rainelle on November 2, 2020, and further admitted to carrying out at least 54 straw purchases throughout 2020.

Lawson admitted to transferring a Ruger, Model LC9S, 9mm pistol to the out-of-state resident in Beckley on March 11, 2021. Lawson further admitted to aiding and abetting Bickford in the illegal purchase of firearms during 2020 and 2021.

Bickford and Lawson are scheduled to be sentenced on September 23, 2022, and Grim on September 30, 2022. Each faces up to 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 for conducting the investigation.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:22-cr-78, 5:22-cr-79, and 5:22-cr-80.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury today convicted Leo Antoine Smith, 38, of Cross Lanes, of conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 33, of Charleston, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

With today’s verdicts, all 17 individuals charged with various drug and firearms offenses in three separate indictments have either pleaded guilty or been otherwise convicted. The cases resulted from a long-term investigation of a large-volume methamphetamine conspiracy operating in and around St. Albans and South Charleston.

“This case represents an outstanding example of inter-agency teamwork and diligence that not only dismantled a significant drug operation, but also prevented a violent crime from occurring on Charleston’s West Side,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I commend the excellent 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). I also thank Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Alex Hamner and the trial team for their commitment to this case and I congratulate them on its successful prosecution.”

Evidence at trial revealed Smith distributed methamphetamine around Charleston between the fall of 2020 and September 21, 2021, and connected Wesley to a foiled Fourth of July 2021 murder scheme.

On at least one occasion in early 2021, Smith traveled with Brian Dangelo Terry to Atlanta to purchase methamphetamine from Ramon David Alston. Trial testimony, wiretap evidence, and text messages obtained from Smith’s cellphones revealed that he distributed more than 60 ounces of methamphetamine.

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, and 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.

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, Jason Robert Oxley, Michael Antonio Smith and Brian Dangelo Terry all pleaded guilty. Timothy Wayne Dodd was convicted on March 24, 2022, following a two-day jury trial.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2022, and Wesley on August 17, 2022. Smith faces up to 20 years in prison. Wesley faces up to 10 years in prison.

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 Nos. 2:21-cr-171, 2:21-cr-172, 2:21-cr-211, and 2:22-cr-90.

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