Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A man involved in a drive-by shooting on Charleston’s West Side in February 2020 pleaded guilty today to a federal firearm charge.  Ronald Edward Tinsley, 49, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. 

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, on or about February 25, 2020, Tinsley was driving a vehicle on the west end of Charleston when officers with the Charleston Police Department attempted to stop him for a traffic violation.  In response, Tinsley fled at a high rate of speed for several blocks until he crashed into a building in the 1200 block of 6th Street.  As Tinsley exited the vehicle, he kicked a Makarov 9x18mm semi-automatic pistol underneath the vehicle.  This firearm had previously been stolen, and Tinsley knew or had reason to know that it was stolen at the time he possessed it.  Tinsley also admitted that he had been the driver of a vehicle during a drive-by shooting on the West Side of Charleston the night before and that the firearm he possession was used in the shooting by a passenger in the vehicle.  Through the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), law enforcement officers were able to confirm that spent shell casings recovered at the scene of the shooting matched the Makarov pistol that Tinsley possessed.

Tinsley has a long criminal history to include prior federal convictions related to controlled substance distribution, as well as prior convictions for burglary and malicious assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court.  

“In partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement, we are utilizing every asset at our disposal to remove violent repeat offenders from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson.  “ATF’s NIBIN technology is an important tool in law enforcement’s toolbox and this case demonstrates the value of the ballistics evidence it provides in violent crime investigations. I commend the outstanding investigative work  done by the ATF and the Charleston Police Department.”   

“ATF’s NIBIN technology linked a violent felon to a drive-by shooting in Charleston,” stated Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of ATF’s Louisville Field Division.  “This technology, being used by law enforcement in West Virginia and across the United States, provides critical links between violent street crimes and assists in obtaining serious federal charges.  Working with law enforcement partners like the Charleston Police Department, ATF Task Forces protect the public and make West Virginia communities much safer.”

Tinsley faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 13, 2022.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)  and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. 

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00133.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Midkiff, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for escape from a halfway house.

According to his own statements and court documents, Midkiff admitted that in October 2020, he left Dismas Charities, Inc., a Bureau of Prisons residential reentry facility located in St. Albans, West Virginia, without permission and did not return while he was still serving an undischarged term of federal imprisonment. He had been on escape status for approximately eight months before he was apprehended by local law enforcement in connection with unrelated charges in June 2021. Midkiff has underlying federal convictions for felon in possession of a firearm and distribution of fentanyl.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani handled the prosecution. 

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.

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-00083.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for receiving child pornography.

According to court documents, Marvin Wayne Akers, 40, admitted that on December 21, 2016, he used his Facebook account to communicate with a person living in the Philippines and asked to see “her.”  In response, Akers received two images and a video that he knew were child pornography or images depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

Upon release from prison, Akers will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 10 years and will be required to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00174.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –  A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today in federal court regarding his involvement in a fentanyl distribution ring operating in the Huntington area.  Leonard Brandon Joe Rice, 35, pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.   

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Rice admitted that on May 24, 2021, he used a telephone to arrange the purchase of fentanyl in Huntington.  Rice then traveled from Louisa, Kentucky to Huntington where he received the fentanyl.  When Rice returned to Louisa, he was stopped by a trooper with the Kentucky State Police.  The trooper subsequently seized the fentanyl Rice purchased.  Rice also admitted that he received fentanyl in Huntington from the beginning of 2020 through July of 2021.  During that period, Rice redistributed some of the fentanyl he purchased in Huntington to other individuals in the Louisa, Kentucky area. 

Rice faces up to four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 18, 2022.

United States Attorney William S. 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 presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.

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-00109.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to statements made in court, Terrence Ramsey, 36,  admitted that on November 7, 2020, officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to a 911 call regarding a passed out driver located in a stopped car and found Ramsey passed out inside a gold Toyota Camry on the West Side of Charleston.  Ramsey was asked to exit the car and during the course of the pat down, Ramsey removed a Ziplock bag containing approximately 47 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture from his hoodie pocket.  Ramsey further admitted that when he was arrested on February 9, 2021 in connection with a federal warrant, officers seized approximately 26 grams fentanyl from the room in the home he was residing.

Ramsey faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on February 3, 2022.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Negar M. Kordestani is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00027.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge.   

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Maylik Watson, 27, sold approximately 174.9 grams of  methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $5,600 on July 6, 2020 in Charleston.

Watson pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on January 6, 2022.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT). The U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police also assisted in the investigation. 

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Boone County woman was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Sherri Hill, 58, purchased approximately four ounces of methamphetamine from a confidential informant  on June 25,2020 at the Park and Ride on U.S. 119 in Boone County. After leaving the Park and Ride, law enforcement officers stopped Hill’s vehicle and located the methamphetamine Hill had purchased in her purse. After being arrested, Hill admitted to having sold methamphetamine for the last two years,  that she had sold ounce and multi-ounce quantities at a time, and that she usually profited approximately $600 a week from the drug sales.  Hill further admitted  that she had several people waiting to purchase methamphetamine from her that same day, as Hill had previously informed them that she would be obtaining methamphetamine to sell.

United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-0194.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Cayla Danielle Lindsay, 28, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Lindsay admitted that on July 23, 2020, during a traffic stop of a car she was driving in Beckley, law enforcement officers found approximately 27 grams of heroin that she intended to distribute.  They also found a Springfield, XDS 9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol Lindsay was carrying at the time.  Lindsay also admitted that on May 6, 2021, she possessed a SCCY, CPX-2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol.  The firearm was found during a search law enforcement conducted at her residence in Beckley.  Lindsay acknowledged that at the time she possessed the firearm, she knew she had been previously convicted in federal court of the felony offense of distribution of oxycodone and was prohibited from possessing firearms.      

Lindsay faces up to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, followed by a mandatory consecutive five years for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime when she is sentenced on February 4, 2022.

United States Attorney William S. 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. 

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.

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-00090.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William S. Thompson took the oath of office today to become the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia.  President Joseph R.  Biden, Jr. announced Thompson’s nomination on August 10, 2021, and the United States Senate confirmed him on October 5, 2021.  Thompson was sworn in by Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston in a private ceremony. 

“It is an honor to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia,” said U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson.  “I look forward to leading the dedicated public servants in the office as we work in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement to make communities throughout southern West Virginia safer places to live.”

As United States Attorney, Thompson is the top-ranking law enforcement official in the Southern District of West Virginia.  Thompson will oversee a staff of 34 attorneys and 41 non-attorney personnel located in offices in Charleston, Huntington, and Beckley. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics.  The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States. 

Prior to taking office as United States Attorney, Thompson was a Circuit Court Judge in West Virginia’s 25th Judicial Circuit.  He was appointed to that position in 2007 and re-elected in 2008 and 2016.  Thompson presided over several treatment courts, including the first family treatment court in West Virginia.  Prior to becoming a Circuit Court Judge, Thompson practiced law at the law firm of Cook and Cook in Boone County.  There, he focused on litigation, which included representing several hundred indigent clients in criminal defense and other matters.  Thompson also previously served as President of Madison Healthcare, Inc. and as Vice President of Danville Lumber Company.

Thompson was born in Charleston and raised in Boone County, West Virginia.  He earned a degree in civil engineering from West Virginia University and a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law. 

Thompson and his wife, Keri, are the proud parents of four children.

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. 

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Maurice Lavelle Miller Jr., 31, of Columbus, was sentenced today to seven months in federal prison for distribution of heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller sold approximately 0.8 grams of heroin to a confidential informant on Davis Street in Huntington on February 25, 2019. The substance was confirmed by the West Virginia State Police Laboratory as containing heroin, fentanyl, and a synthetic cannabinoid.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office 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 Ryan A. Keefe handled the prosecution.

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. 3:19-cr-00155.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –  A Huntington felon who was caught with guns earlier this year pleaded guilty today in federal court. Kevlin Jerrod Jackson, 41, entered a guilty plea to prohibited possession of firearms by a convicted felon.   

According to court documents and statements made in court, Jackson admitted that on May 12, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at his residence located on 7th Street in Huntington.  Jackson, who was present just prior to the search, was arrested after investigators seized a .45 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol from his residence.  Jackson later admitted that he possessed the firearms, that he was a convicted felon, and that he used another individual to purchase the firearms on his behalf.  Jackson was convicted of distributing cocaine in 2011 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of his conviction.   

Jackson faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 18, 2022.

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

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

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-00091.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg woman was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for using the United States Mail to facilitate fentanyl distribution. Audrey Mae Thompson, 40, previously admitted allowing Robert Lamar Bates-Porter to use her residence as a receiving address for shipments of drugs to be distributed in and around Parkersburg.

According to court documents and statements made in court, drug task force officers executed a search warrant at Thompson’s residence on Roselyn Avenue in Parkersburg on September 13, 2019, where they seized a kilogram of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of heroin.  The search warrant was the culmination of a long-term investigation conducted by the Major Crimes Task Force in Washington County, Ohio and the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force.  Along with the Roselyn Avenue search warrant, police executed warrants at several locations in Ohio where they recovered more than 200 grams of heroin, additional quantities of fentanyl and several firearms.  Bates-Porter was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 400g or more of fentanyl and sentenced to 130 months in federal prison. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Major Crimes Task Force, the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

Senior United States District Judge John. T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks handled the prosecution.

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-00050 and 2:20-cr-00080..

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Walker, 41, of Craigsville, was sentenced today to six months in prison for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, an officer with the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department arrived at Walker’s residence in August 2019 in response to a domestic battery in progress call. Two witnesses informed the officer that Walker had gotten into an altercation and threw an object at his girlfriend that missed her and struck a juvenile. Walker then assaulted the juvenile by choking him with both hands and later striking the juvenile in the face. Walker, who had a prior conviction for domestic battery of a household member, was arrested at the scene for domestic battery of the juvenile. A search warrant was executed and a loaded firearm was located inside the residence where the altercation occurred.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman handled the prosecution.

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-00018.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio man was sentenced to prison today after being convicted earlier this year of conspiracy to distribute heroin.  Lewis Von Burks, Jr., 52, was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about October 2018 until November 2019, Lewis Von Burks, Jr. was selling black tar heroin to several individuals in Jackson County, West Virginia, and elsewhere.  These individuals were regularly travelling to Columbus in order to meet Burks and complete the transactions.  Burks had knowledge at the time that several of the individuals were taking the heroin back to Jackson County, and that at least one of the individuals was re-selling the heroin in Jackson County.  During the period of the conspiracy, at least 100 grams of black tar heroin were re-sold within Jackson County. 

Burks admitted to law enforcement officers during the investigation that he had been selling heroin to Jackson County residents since at least 2015, and estimated that he sold hundreds of ounces of heroin to Jackson County residents during that time.     

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.  

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00114.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge.  Codi Lee Douglas, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to statements made in court, Douglas admitted possessing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that law enforcement officers found in his vehicle during a traffic stop on January 27, 2021 in Parkersburg.  Douglas is not legally permitted to possess firearms due to a 2016 conviction for malicious assault in Wood County Circuit Court.  The malicious assault conviction was the result of Douglas shooting another man in the face in September 2015.    

Douglas faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 5, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives (ATF).

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.

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-00113.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Point Pleasant man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Dale Randall McCarthy, Jr., 51, pleaded guilty to the offense in May 2021.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, McCarthy admitted that on August 8, 2020, he agreed with a man he met online to pay $100 to have sex with a 14-year-old girl that would be supplied by the other man. McCarthy met with the man at a motel in Dunbar and paid the man $40 up front for sex with the girl, with the remainder to be paid after the sexual activity.  After paying the man $40, McCarthy was placed under arrest. McCarthy further admitted that he had previously used Craigslist to communicate with minors about meeting for sexual activity. In one such conversation, McCarthy admitted to requesting and receiving a sexually explicit image of a person who stated they were a minor.

Upon release from prison, McCarthy will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 10 years and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00160.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Clifford Lee Griffin, 38, of Bruno, was arrested on the evening of September 30, 2019, at a residence in the Gilman Bottom area of Logan County where he had been selling drugs. Griffin was arrested by  members of the West Virginia State Police who were executing a search warrant due to drug activity at the location.  Troopers recovered two loaded handguns, over 75 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 grams of heroin.  Griffin admitted that he possessed the guns to protect his drugs and money. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Nowles Heinrich handled the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00163.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dante Williams, 24, of Charleston, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, Williams sold two ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on January 14, 2021.  Williams arranged to first meet the informant in the parking lot of the Family Dollar store on Charleston’s West Side, but then directed the informant to follow him to Swinburn Street where the transaction took place.  Williams also admitted that he fronted the informant an additional two ounces of methamphetamine for which Williams would be paid later. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman handled the prosecution.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032 (Williams, et al.).

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – An Alderson man pleaded guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography. Jack Michael Smith, 34, was charged by indictments in the Southern District of West Virginia and the District of Oregon. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon transferred their charges to the Southern District of West Virginia.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Smith uploaded child pornography from a computer in West Virginia to Kik Messenger to share with others in March 2019. In October 2019, additional child pornography was shared from Smith’s account. A conversation with another Kik user indicated ongoing sexual abuse of a minor female. Smith admitted that he traveled from West Virginia to Oregon on a regular basis to engage in sexual activity with the minor female and took photographs of the minor female engaged in sexual activity with him.

Smith faces at least 15 years and up 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 28, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Local law enforcement in Oregon assisted in the investigation.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is handling the prosecution.

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. 5:20-cr-00193.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Will Pope, also known as “Shorty,” 46, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of heroin.

According to court documents, Pope sold a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant near Beckley on February 13, 2020.  Pope also admitted to distributing what he now knows was fentanyl on two other occasions, both transactions occurring on February 6, 2020.   

Pope faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 22, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the 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 presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.

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-00111.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge.  James David Morris, Jr., 42, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Morris was contacted at his residence in Beckley by deputies with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office on or about June 10, 2021.  While deputies were inside Morris’ home speaking to him about an unrelated incident, they discovered a 12 gauge shotgun in the living room.  Morris admitted to possessing the shotgun, and also admitted to knowing that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of having prior felony convictions.   Morris was convicted of federal firearm crimes in the Southern District of West Virginia in 2013 and 2018. Morris was still serving a term of supervised release due to his 2018 federal conviction when he committed the current offense. 

Morris faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 22, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the 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 Nos. 5:21-cr-00158 and 5:18-cr-00071.

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Charleston, W.Va. – Ryan Ashley Williams, 36,  was sentenced today to 128 months in prison for federal firearm and drug crimes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams was arrested by law enforcement officers at an apartment on Hall Street in Parkersburg on or about December 1, 2019.  Officers located approximately 40 grams of a mixture containing carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin on Williams.  Also on his person were the keys to a safe where officers located approximately eight grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin, approximately 80 grams of methamphetamine, and a semi-automatic pistol.  Williams admitted that he intended to distribute these substances to other people, and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a previous felony conviction for first degree robbery with a firearm specification in Wood County Circuit Court. 

Williams’ first degree robbery conviction was the result of a March 2012 incident where he robbed a Parkersburg business at gunpoint while wearing a ski mask.  Williams ordered all the customers onto the ground and stole approximately $4,000 from the cash register.  He was sentenced to a prison term of 20 years, and was under parole supervision as part of that sentence when these federal crimes were committed.            

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).  

Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. 

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. 2:20-cr-00091.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging 14 individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County.

The superseding indictment includes charges against Angie Lane Harbour, 40, of Given, West Virginia. Harbour is charged with conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprises. 

Charged along with Angie Lane Harbour in the 15-count indictment are:  Ramon David Alston, 41, of Decatur, Georgia; Jonathan Gregory Bush, 38, of Dunbar, West Virginia; Kelly Cordle, 43, of Kimberly, West Virginia; Scott Edward Hudson, 49, and Jason Robert Oxley, 38, of St. Albans, West Virginia; Leo Antoine Smith, of Cross Lanes, West Virginia; and James Edward Bennett III, 30, Treydan Burks, 31, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, 24, Denise Marie Cottrell, 63, Brittany Frances Gilbert, 33, Brian Dangelo Terry, 36 and Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 32, all of Charleston, West Virginia.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00172 (Alston, et al.).

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in prison for distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Drema Setliff, 37, sold a fentanyl and heroin mixture to an individual in South Charleston on December 10, 2017, which resulted in the individual dying from a drug overdose.    

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Charleston Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman handled the prosecution.

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-00077.

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Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine and 40 firearms seized

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced that a federal grand jury has returned two indictments charging 15 individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Kanawha County.

Charged in a 15-count indictment are:  Ramon David Alston, 41, of Decatur, Georgia; Jonathan Gregory Bush, 38, of Dunbar, West Virginia; Kelly Cordle, 43, of Kimberly, West Virginia; Scott Edward Hudson, 49, and Jason Robert Oxley, 38, of St. Albans, West Virginia; Leo Antoine Smith, of Cross Lanes, West Virginia; and James Edward Bennett III, 30, Treydan Burks, 31, Kaitlyn Brooke Combs, 24, Denise Marie Cottrell, 63, Brittany Frances Gilbert, 33, Brian Dangelo Terry, 36 and Douglas Johnathan Wesley, 32, all of Charleston, West Virginia. The indictment charges 11 of the defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Kanawha County from March 2019 to September 2021.  The indictment also charges various drug and gun crimes carried out in connection with the DTO. 

In a separate 10-count indictment, Shane Kelly Fulkerson, 43, of Saint Albans, West Virginia and Timothy Wayne Dodd, 45, of Charleston, West Virginia are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Kanawha County from March to September 2021.  Additional charges against Fulkerson include distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

During the course of the nearly 18-month-long investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 firearms, more than $80,000 cash, and several vehicles.  Several of the vehicles and firearms had been reported stolen.

“The indictments unsealed earlier today are the result of tremendous effort, teamwork, and cooperation between our federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.  “I commend their efforts and thank them for their countless hours of hard work in bringing down this violent drug organization.”

“Charleston and the surrounding areas have been plagued by illegal drugs and the fear of violence for too long,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “The FBI and our local, state and federal partners will not let drug dealers hold a community hostage. We are committed to cleaning up the streets and holding those individuals accountable for the violence and drug trafficking they engage in.”

“The number of offenders, the quantity of drugs seized, and the guns taken off our streets is impressive work, but it does not begin to tell the full story of how this impacts the City of Charleston and our surrounding cities,” said Chief James “Tyke” Hunt of the Charleston Police Department.  “Violence was curbed, and lives were saved multiple times throughout this investigation and that is the bigger picture, that is why all of us standing before you today do what we do.”

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

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.

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

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

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Charles Boyett Mitchell, Jr., 35, of Princeton, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of cocaine.

According to court documents, Mitchell sold a quantity of cocaine to a confidential informant in Princeton on May 7, 2018.  As part of the plea, Mitchell also admitted to distributing cocaine and methamphetamine on three other occasions, and to possessing a quantity of methamphetamine that he intended to distribute.   

Mitchell faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 10, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.  The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is composed of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, the Bluefield Police Department and the Princeton Police Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00089.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Cecil Monroe Bowman, 66, was pulled over by the West Virginia State Police on October 14, 2020.  After giving Troopers consent to search his vehicle, Troopers found 23 grams of heroin under the driver’s seat.  Bowman admitted he intended to sell the heroin. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the West Virginia State Police.

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

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-00081.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kevan Curry, 49, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, officers with the Huntington Police Department executed a search warrant on November 18, 2020, at Curry’s residence on 20th Street in Huntington.  Law enforcement officers seized a Comanche III .357 magnum revolver, a Browning .40 caliber handgun, and an American Tactical AR-15 rifle.  Curry was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law because of a 2009 felony conviction for conspiracy in Cabell County Circuit Court.

Curry faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on January 10, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.  

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-00114.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – An Akron man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison today for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy.  

According to court documents, Tionte Lavon Blanchard, 25, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and admitted that he and others participated in a conspiracy from the fall of 2018 to June 2019 to distribute methamphetamine that was frequently shipped from Akron, Ohio to various locations in West Virginia.  Blanchard utilized a residence on 25th Street in Huntington to store methamphetamine after it arrived from Akron.  On June 6, 2019,  investigators executed a search warrant at the residence and seized over 1.7 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine.  Blanchard admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine and intended to distribute it in the Huntington area. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department. 

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

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. 3:19-cr-000245.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Deontae Holmes, a federal inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possessing a handcrafted weapon, commonly known as a “shank.” 

According to court documents, FCI Beckley staff members found Holmes in possession of a shank on February 22, 2021.  The shank was a piece of metal approximately six inches long that was sharpened to a point on one end and had a rubberized tape handle on the other end.  The shank was found in Holmes’ pants pocket during a random pat search.  Holmes admitted that the shank was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.

Holmes faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on January 14, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the 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. 5:21-cr-00151.

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Morris has previous convictions for attempted murder and wanton endangerment with a firearm

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Keith Morris, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a five-year mandatory minimum.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, on January 23, 2020, after responding to a two-vehicle crash on January 23, 2020, officers with the Charleston Police Department located 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a loaded Glock, model 26, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in a locked safe in Morris’s car.  Again on August 7, 2020, law enforcement officers seized approximately 176 grams of fentanyl and a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm caliber handgun from inside the glovebox of Morris’s car during a traffic stop in Charleston. Morris admitted to law enforcement officers that he intended to distribute the controlled substances that had been seized from him. Morris further admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because he previously had been convicted in Kanawha County Circuit Court of attempted murder and wanton endangerment with a firearm.

“This case demonstrates the significant results achieved as a result of the strong partnership forged between the ATF and the Charleston Police Department,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.  “I applaud the work of our law enforcement partners to remove repeat offenders and violent drug traffickers from the community. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods we are collectively focusing our efforts and resources on making the community safer by addressing the drivers of violent crime.”  

“Drug dealers with guns are criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the Louisville Field Division. “Yesterday’s sentencing is another example of the ongoing efforts of ATF and the Charleston Police Department working together to take a violent repeat offender off the streets and make our communities safer for everyone.”

“The teamwork you see in this collaborative effort has saved the lives of many by addressing two of our biggest threats to society, gun violence and illegal drugs,” said Chief James “Tyke” Hunt of the Charleston Police Department. “Project Safe Neighborhoods enables federal agencies like the ATF and our United States Attorney’s Office to exponentially enhance the enforcement efforts of the Charleston Police Department and our Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office.  These joint operations eliminate jurisdictional restrictions and enhance penalties in the areas needed to keep our communities safe.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. 

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00167.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Shawn Le, 28, sold fentanyl, a .22 caliber revolver and 214 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on February 19, 2021.

Le pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life imprisonment when sentenced on January 20, 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the plea hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew is handling the prosecution.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00156.

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Four Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaints; Eleven Arrested on State Criminal Complaints

Six Federal Search Warrants Executed

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today the arrests of four individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana in Parkersburg and elsewhere. The takedown is the result of a nearly year-long investigation, dubbed “Long Time Coming,” led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force (PNTF).

Four individuals were arrested on federal criminal complaints, 11 individuals were arrested on state criminal complaints, and six federal search warrants were executed in Parkersburg during today’s takedown. 

Charged in three separate federal criminal complaints with conspiracy to distribute quantities of methamphetamine are: Carlo Ramsey, 56; Robert Sanders, Jr., 29; and Ambera Roberts, 34, all of Parkersburg. Charged in a federal criminal complaint with  possession with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine and fentanyl is Floyd D. Ramsey, 41, of Chicago, Illinois.  The defendants have been detained pending their upcoming detention hearings in federal court.

“Drug trafficking organizations put our communities in harm’s way,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.  “I applaud the diligent work of our law enforcement partners whose efforts put long-standing drug dealers in Parkersburg out of business.  The arrest of these individuals demonstrates our commitment to keeping highly addictive and dangerous drugs from destroying lives.”

“The individuals arrested today have been slinging poison in this community for too long,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Erek Davodowich, from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division.  The dedicated men and women of DEA, working alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts, remain committed to pursuing those who threaten the health and safety of our communities with violence and dangerous drugs, and bringing them to justice.”

“It is our hope that today's arrests will significantly impact the distribution of illegal drugs in the Wood County area,” said Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Patrick Lefebure. “This investigation and the subsequent arrests resulted from a collaborative effort between federal and State law enforcement agencies.  The Wood County Prosecutor's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia remain committed to prosecuting those individuals who bring and sell illegal drugs into our communities."

The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the PNTF, the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Vienna Police Department,  the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Boyd County (KY) Sheriff’s Department, the Russell (KY) Police Department and the Raceland (KY) Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.

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.

Please note: A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:21-mj-00175, 2:21-mj-00177, 2:21-mj-00178, and 2:21-mj-00179.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston woman was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine while on supervised release for a previous federal firearm conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Tiffany Shaffer, 32, distributed 53.88 grams of pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant in return for $1500 on October 5, 2020 in Dunbar. Shaffer further admitted that she distributed methamphetamine in September, October, and December 2020, in and around the Dunbar area. At the time of the 2020 drug sales, Shaffer was on supervised release for a 2017 federal firearms conviction. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

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

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-00076.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Fayette County man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Christopher Lee Foster, 36, of Oak Hill, was charged via indictment in June 2021.

According to the plea agreement, Foster admitted that in early March 2021 he initiated contact with a person via a messaging application. Believing this person to be a 13-year-old girl from New Jersey, Foster engaged in conversations over the next two months wherein he told the minor he wanted to meet her to engage in sexual activity. After learning that the girl was sexually inexperienced, Foster sent her pictures of his penis as well as numerous images and videos of pornography to teach her about sex. He also repeatedly pressured the minor to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself, even offering to pay her for such images.

Foster further admitted that in approximately 2015 and 2016 he produced (or caused the production of) sexually explicit images of a different minor.

If the plea agreement is accepted by the Court, Foster will be sentenced to between 235 months (19 years, 7 months) and 292 months (24 years, 4 months) in prison when he is sentenced on January 5, 2022. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.  

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.

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-00095.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jacob Benjamin Loper, 20, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed search warrants on June 12, 2019 at residences on 26th and 27th Streets in Huntington pursuant to a shooting investigation. Officers located Loper, a baggie of 7.9 grams of heroin and digital scales inside a 26th Street residence. In a Mirandized interview, Loper admitted that he possessed the heroin.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston 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 handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-00106.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Christopher Michael Adkins, 37, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on a residence on 8th Street in Huntington on January 19, 2021 in order to locate Adkins who had warrants out for his arrest.  When Adkins was observed exiting the residence, a traffic stop was conducted, and officers located in his vehicle 20.6 grams of methamphetamine, 33.8 grams of fentanyl and 13.7 grams of cocaine, as well as digital scales and multiple cell phones. Officers also located a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol.  In a Mirandized interview, Adkins admitted that the items in the vehicle were his.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston 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 presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe handled the prosecution.

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-00031.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Wood County man found last year to be in possession of methamphetamine and multiple firearms, including a machine gun, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for drug and gun crimes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, a search warrant was executed at the Vienna residence of Evan Rockwell McEwuen, 25, on August 5, 2020.  McEwuen was located in the residence at the time of the search and law enforcement officers found 149 grams of methamphetamine, over $14,000 in United States currency, plastic baggies, digital scales and four firearms in the room where McEwuen was located.  One firearm was loaded and was equipped with a device designed to convert the firearm into a machine gun.  A subsequent inspection confirmed that the firearm was successfully converted into a machine gun and was capable of fully automatic fire.  Officers also found approximately 143 grams of additional methamphetamine along with a sawed-off shotgun, plastic baggies and digital scales in a truck and construction trailer parked outside of McEwuen’s residence.  In total, officers located over 2000 rounds of ammunition during the execution of the search warrant.  McEwuen admitted to possessing all the evidence seized by law enforcement and that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others.  McEwuen was not legally permitted to possess firearms due to a 2016 felony conviction in the Circuit Court of Wood County for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. McEwuen pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a felon in May 2021. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Vienna Police Department, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). 

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Joshua C. Hanks handled the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00166.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A woman from Fayette County pleaded guilty today to an offense related to sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor female.  Kristen Naylor-Legg, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on two separate occasions in June 2020, Naylor-Legg entered into an agreement with her co-defendant, Larry Allen Clay, Jr., to provide him with her 17-year-old minor female relative and Clay would pay Naylor-Legg to engage in sexual intercourse with the minor. At the time, Clay was an employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department. Naylor-Legg admitted that on the first occasion she was paid $100 by Clay. On the second occasion, Naylor-Legg indicated that Clay had agreed to pay her $50 in exchange for sexual intercourse with the minor but ultimately did not give her the money.

Naylor-Legg faces up to life in prison when she is sentenced on December 9, 2021. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Virginia State Police, and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.

Co-defendant Larry Allen Clay, Jr., is charged with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion and sex trafficking of a minor via coercion. Clay’s trial is set for November 9, 2021. Note: Charges contained in indictments are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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-00062.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. –  Misty Brotherton-Tanner, 41, of Charleston, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for the felony offenses of wire fraud and money laundering and was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $537,173. Brotherton-Tanner pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2021. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, Brotherton-Tanner provided bookkeeping and accounting services for several local businesses in the Charleston area.  From at least 2014 until 2020, Brotherton-Tanner devised a scheme to defraud these businesses.  Brotherton-Tanner would electronically transfer money and move the electronic transactions between accounts in such a way so as to hide her fraud under the guise of legitimate transactions   Brotherton-Tanner was not permitted to pay herself from these business accounts.  Brotherton-Tanner’s fraud scheme included listing herself as an employee for the various businesses, setting up fraudulent accounts in the name of fictional workers that she would then add to the business accounting software, and even misrepresenting that she had paid state and federal taxes for the businesses when she had not done so. Throughout the scheme, Brotherton-Tanner moved the transferred money into her personal checking accounts. In total, Brotherton-Tanner defrauded various businesses of $537,173.

Brotherton-Tanner also stole money on behalf of and at the request of her mother, Lois Brotherton, who also pleaded guilty in connection with her role in the scheme and was sentenced to a period of probation.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the West Virginia State Tax Department-Criminal Investigation Division for their excellent work in this case.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Kathleen Robeson handled the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00146.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Omarr Boone, 37, of Ravenna, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, officers with the Huntington Police Department responded to a shooting at a Shell gas station on March 9, 2021.  After a vehicle pursuit, Boone was placed under arrest.  Officers searched his vehicle and found a stolen Smith and Wesson SD9 VE in the vehicle.  Boone was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of previous felony convictions in Michigan and Ohio. 

Boone faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 13, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department.  United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.

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-00101.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Nigerian national who was indicted in April 2021 in connection with a large fraud and money laundering scheme pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. 

According to court documents and statements made in connection with the plea hearing, Kenneth Ogudu, also known as Kenneth Lee, 28, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Columbus, Ohio, was involved from at least May 2019 to October 8, 2020, with Kenneth Emeni, John Nassy, Romello Thorpe, Oluwagbenga Harrison, Ouluwabamishe Awolesi, and others in a money laundering conspiracy that took place in Huntington, West Virginia and elsewhere.  Ogudu lived in Huntington from May to December 2019.  As part of the scheme, co-conspirators created online false personas and contacted victims via email, text messaging or online dating and social media websites in order to induce the victims into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship or business relationship with various false personas. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas. Ogudu’s role in the conspiracy was to let victims transfer money to his bank account that he knew was from unlawful activity.  Ogudu admitted that after the victims’ funds were deposited into his account, he kept some of the money for himself and forwarded some of the money to his co-conspirators via wire transfers or Zelle.  Ogudu further admitted that he and his co-conspirators transferred large sums of their fraud proceeds to offshore accounts. Ogudu obtained funds from at least 12 different fraud victims during the money laundering conspiracy.

Ogudu faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 13, 2021.  As part of  his plea agreement, Ogudu agreed to pay $324,865.85 in restitution.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorneys R. Gregory McVey and Kathleen Robeson are handling the prosecution.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-0068 (Emeni, et al).

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for a federal drug crime.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Kaleb Wuopio, 26, was involved in a drug distribution enterprise operating in Kanawha County from April through June 2018. Wuopio admitted that he distributed fentanyl, heroin and cocaine base in exchange for cash during that timeframe. On June 21, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Wuopio’s Charleston residence. During the search, the officers located heroin, cash proceeds from drug sales, other drug distribution tools, such as scales, and two loaded handguns.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman is handling the prosecution.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the 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. 2:20-cr-00115.

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Phillips converted over $4.7 million of organization’s funds

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A Chesapeake, Ohio, woman pleaded guilty today to theft of federal funds from River Valley Child Development Services ("RVCDS"), a non-profit organization located in Huntington. RVCDS provides programs, services and support to children, families and the early childhood community.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Ruth Marie Phillips, also know as Marie Phillips, 69, worked at RVCDS from December 1986 until September 2020.  Phillips held various positions at RVCDS, including Director of Business and Finance. Phillips was responsible for all financial operations, including monitoring accounts receivable, creating and submitting invoices, reconciling bank accounts and issuing checks.  From July 1, 2016, to on or about June 30, 2017, RVCDS received approximately $7,131,756 in federal funding and Phillips used her position of trust and authority to steal approximately $964,012 during that period.

Phillips further admitted that between December 2013 and August 2020, she stole approximately $4,721,731 from RVCDS.  During that period, she sent $1,142,500 to her personal checking account and sent another $3,395,500 to Attitude Aviation’s U.S. bank account.  Attitude Aviation has offices at Lawrence County Airpark in South Point, Ohio, and Tri-State Airport in Huntington and provides aeronautical services, including fueling, rental of hangar space, aircraft rental, flight instruction and maintenance.

As part of her plea agreement, Phillips agreed to forfeit her interest in her Chesapeake, Ohio, personal residence, as well as a lake house on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia that she purchased during the period of her criminal activity.  Phillips also agreed to forfeit her interest in several vehicles and her interest in Attitude Aviation property and equipment.

During the investigation, three search warrants were simultaneously executed across two states on April 8, 2021, including Phillips’ personal residence in Chesapeake, Ohio; Attitude Aviation’s Lawrence County Airpark office in Ohio; and Attitude Aviation’s Huntington Tri-State Airport office in West Virginia.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the thorough investigative work of the FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the Central West Virginia Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Lawrence County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Litigation Financial Analyst. 

Phillips faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of at least $250,000, and restitution in the amount of $4,721,731 when she is sentenced on December 13, 2021.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.  Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin F. Scott, R. Gregory McVey and Kathleen Robeson are handling the prosecution.

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-00135.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston couple was sentenced today for federal gun and drug crimes. Larry James Williams, 66, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin, acetyl fentanyl, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Mary Ann Coon, 44, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, during a traffic stop conducted on MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston during the early morning hours of May 8, 2020, law enforcement officers found Williams and Coon to be in possession of seven firearms, as well as over 79 grams of methamphetamine, 9 grams of heroin, acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl mix, and over 6 grams of methamphetamine and fentanyl mix, digital scales, plastic baggies, and $3,882 in U.S. Currency.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).  As part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement to address violent crime driven by drug trafficking in Charleston and throughout the district.   

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences.  Assistant United States Attorneys Julie White and Greg McVey handled the prosecution.

This case is part of 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. 3:19-cr-00129 (Williams, et al.).

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BECKLEY, W.Va. - A Virginia man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor.

According to court documents, Jamie Otis Southern, 50, of Tazewell County, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty and admitted in June 2020 he contacted a woman on Craigslist who identified herself as a mother who would allow him to have sex with her children in exchange for money. During the conversation, Southern arranged to have the woman travel from Beckley to a hotel in Princeton with the 11- and 14-year-old girls the woman stated were her daughters. Southern would then pay approximately $400 plus the cost of the hotel room in order to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse with the children.  Southern further admitted that in July 2020 he possessed images and videos of suspected child pornography on an SD card in his cell phone.

Upon release from prison, Southern will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 15 years and be required to register as a sex offender.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. 

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution. 

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. 5:20-cr-00117.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for attempted production of child pornography. Douglas Patrick Humphrey, 33, will also be required to serve his lifetime on supervised release following his release from prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Humphrey previously admitted that on August 25 and 26, 2020, he communicated with a 15-year-old female via Snapchat. During that conversation he asked her to meet him to engage in sexual activity and also asked her to produce and send a video of herself engaged in sexual intercourse with another man. Humphrey admitted that in July 2020 he had made a similar request of the minor female and had received a video depicting her engaged in sexual activity. Humphrey was arrested on August 26, 2020, when he arrived at the location where he had arranged to meet the minor.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. During the sentencing hearing, the Court stated that Humphrey had caused “astounding” harm and is a “sexual predator of a serial nature.”

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution.

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-00005.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two Charleston men were sentenced today to prison for federal drug crimes. Darius Coles, 23, and Joshua Lawson, 31, were sentenced to 78 and 60 months in prison respectively.

According to court documents, Coles previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that he met a confidential informant at the Go-Mart near Bigley Avenue in Charleston to collect $1,200 for an outstanding drug debt on January 27, 2021.  Coles collected the $1,200 and fronted the confidential informant an additional amount of methamphetamine to be paid for later.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Lawson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and admitted that after he left a meeting with his methamphetamine source of supply on December 27, 2020, officers with the Charleston Police Department conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle in the 600 block of Ruffner Avenue.  An officer performed a pat down of Lawson and found an ounce of methamphetamine hidden in his groin area.  Lawson admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine. 

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentences.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica Coleman handled the prosecutions.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-00032.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to defrauding a financial institution by making false statements on a loan application.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Jonathan Smith, 35, applied for and received a loan of $505,000 from the Wood County Federal Credit Union in June 2016.  To influence the action of the credit union, Smith made false statements on the loan application such as mispresenting his monthly gross income and falsely stating that he was the owner of M&J Towing.  Smith also misrepresented that he was using the $505,000 to purchase a 1963 Corvette that he valued at $1.2 million, when in fact, Smith had already purchased the corvette for $35,000 and the actual fair market value of the automobile was less than $50,000.

Smith faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 8, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Arthur is handling the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00173.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Five defendants charged as a result of a long-term investigation known as “Second Wave” were sentenced this week in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Roger Jarea Drake, 32, of Charleston, and Craig Edward Redman, 42, of Kimberly, were sentenced to 151 and 46 months in prison, respectively, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  Tonya Nicole Simerly, 36, of Montgomery, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise.  Ronald Lee Thomas III, 29, of Sissonville, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and Steven Matthew Bumpus, 32, of Charleston, was sentenced to three years of probation for theft of mail by a United States Postal Service employee.

More than a dozen individuals were charged in federal court as a result of Operation “Second Wave,” a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking ring involved in the distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,  marijuana, and THC products. According to court documents, Jason Michael Terrell, Larry  Terrell Martin, and Roger Jarea Drake were principally involved in bringing the drugs into the Southern District of West Virginia from out-of-state suppliers. Carol Belton, Jimmy Lee Coleman, and Craig Edward Redman distributed methamphetamine to street-level dealers and users.  Joe Fragale, Sr. and Joe Fragale II distributed methamphetamine and heroin.  Ronald Lee Thomas III distributed marijuana. Gregory Eugene Woods distributed cocaine. Tonya Nicole Simerly drove to Columbus, Ohio with Terrell and Drake where they obtained methamphetamine through Rashawn Akmed Miller who acted as a “middle-man.” Bumpus was employed as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier who delivered drug packages to Martin that were addressed to fictitious individuals along Bumpus’ route.

In previous hearings, the court sentenced Terrell to 14 years in prison, Martin to 151 months in prison, Woods to 160 months in prison, Joe Fragale, Sr. to 120 months in prison, Miller to 70 months in prison, Fragale II to 42 months in prison, Coleman to 36 months in prison, and Belton to 18 months in prison.   

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central West Virginia Drug Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Charleston Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks handled the prosecution.

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. 2:20-cr-00154.