Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito honored more than 60 federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals today for their exemplary investigative work and contributions in cases successfully prosecuted in the Southern District of West Virginia. 

During a ceremony at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston, Capito presented the 2026 Law Enforcement Awards to recognize invaluable assistance within specific categories of cases and office initiatives as well as outstanding overall service.

“These awards recognize law enforcement professionals who exemplify the highest standards of service,” Capito said. “Our honorees have demonstrated integrity, courage, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to public safety and the criminal justice system.”

The honorees were recognized in the following categories:

Category: White Collar Crime

Outstanding White Collar Crime Cases: 

U.S. vs Ross Jay Bailey (5:24-cr-105)
U.S. vs Ryan Keith Bailey (5:24-cr-106)
U.S. vs Mark William Bailey (5:23-cr-131)

• Special Agent Thomas Atherton, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG)
• Special Agent Terry Hedrick, United States Secret Service
• First Sgt. Brad Burner, West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) (retired)
• Litigation Financial Analyst Stephen DeWayne Rowley, U.S. Attorney’s Office (posthumously)

A federal investigation determined that three members of the same Beckley-area family fraudulently converted more than $4 million in COVID-19 relief funds for their personal enrichment. Each defendant successfully applied for loans meant to help their businesses weather the global pandemic. They instead spent COVID-19 relief funds to buy stocks, cryptocurrency, and real estate among other personal and prohibited uses.

All three defendants pleaded guilty to theft of government money. To date, more than $6 million has been recovered from the defendants through paid restitution and assets subject to forfeiture. The investigation allowed the U.S. Attorney’s Office to apply all available tools to seek justice in these cases: criminal prosecution, False Claims Act litigation, and civil forfeiture proceedings.

Rowley was instrumental in developing the case as Litigation Financial Analyst for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Rowley joined the office in 2011, after 23 years as a federal law enforcement officer, and retired in July 2025. Rowley died on April 23, 2026. His wife of 46 years, Bonnie Rowley, accepted the award.

Category: Project Safe Childhood

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

Outstanding PSC Case: U.S. vs Alan J. Disomma, Jr. (5:22-cr-227)

• Special Agent Genevieve Baushke, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Special Agent Jared Jankowski, FBI
• Sgt. Jillian Yeager, West Virginia State Police 
• Trooper Ricky Jones, West Virginia State Police

In December 2021, Alan J. Disomma, Jr. began communicating online with a woman located in West Virginia whom he believed to be the mother of two minor girls. Disomma stated that he wanted to engage in sexual relations with both girls. Disomma continued to express this intent in a series of text messages over the following year. In December 2022, Disomma flew from Arizona to West Virginia with plans to act on these intentions. Upon his arrival in Charleston, Disomma was arrested by law enforcement officers.

A federal jury convicted Disomma of two counts of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity. Disomma was sentenced to life in prison on October 4, 2024.

Category: Drug Trafficking

Outstanding Drug Trafficking Cases: 

U.S. vs Robert Earl Cureton, Jr. (3:24-cr-117)

• Lt. Stephen Maniskas, Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force (HVCDTF), Huntington Police Department
• Sgt. Adrian Rosario, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. Alec Bentley, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. Michael Cremeans, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. Jacob Fitzwater, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. David Malcomb, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Sgt. Kerry Arthur, HVCDTF, Barboursville Police Department
• Officer Ryan Harless, Huntington Police Department
• Officer Jarod Martin, Huntington Police Department

On November 26, 2024, law enforcement officers seized approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine and $4,566 in drug proceeds from Robert Earl Cureton, Jr. in Huntington. Cureton transported the drugs and cash that day by Greyhound bus from Detroit, Michigan to Cincinnati, Ohio, and then via rideshare from Cincinnati to Huntington, where officers conducted a traffic stop of the rideshare vehicle. 

Investigators had previously conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Cureton in Huntington through the use of confidential informants. Cureton was sentenced on May 12, 2025, to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. The Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation.

Operation Ghost

• Special Agent Jennifer King, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Special Agent Carolyn Rash, FBI
• Special Agent Erica Kelley, FBI Detroit Field Office
• Task Force Officer Jacob Kresslein, FBI Detroit Field Office
• Intelligence Analyst Sarah Cole, FBI
• Senior Digital Forensic Examiner Melinda Cash, FBI
• Digital Forensic Specialist Kelsey Billups, FBI
• Staff Operations Specialist Jennifer Ball, FBI
• Staff Operations Specialist Josh Van Meter, FBI
• Special Agent Jared Austin, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Technical Sgt. Kyle Kelly, West Virginia Air National Guard
• Lt. Paul Hodge, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Cpl. Brian Hudson, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
• Lt. Hedrick “Bo” Miller, Charleston Police Department 
• Sgt. Wesley Daniels, Charleston Police Department
• Sgt. Eric “Seth” Johnson, Charleston Police Department
• Cpl. Jordan Hilbert, Charleston Police Department
• Cpl. Owen Morris, Charleston Police Department
• Cpl. John Waggy, Charleston Police Department
• Cpl. Nigel Waller, Charleston Police Department
• Detective Matthew Justice, Charleston Police Department (now with U.S. Postal Inspection Service)
• Administrative Assistant Lori Lipscomb, Charleston Police Department
• Patrolman Oliver Lopez, Nitro Police Department
• Officer Matthew Cooper, St. Albans Police Department
• Cpl. David Harvey, South Charleston Police Department

Operation Ghost disrupted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. A federal grand jury indicted more than a dozen individuals as a result of this investigation, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

Nine defendants pleaded guilty to roles in the DTO conspiracy, and six other defendants pleaded guilty in cases separate from the main indictment. The convicted defendants together have received more than a century of prison time, with seven each sentenced to 10 years or more in prison.

Category: Violent Crime

Outstanding Violent Crime Case: U.S. vs Tiwan Robert Bailey, et al. (2:24-cr-118)

• Special Agent Collin Nash, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• Special Agent James Erwin, HSI 
• Victim Assistance Specialist Kyanna Perkins, HSI
• Criminal Analyst Jessica Griffith, HSI
• Criminal Analyst Chris Powell, HSI
• Computer Forensic Analyst Leland F. “Fred” Pickering, HSI
• Deputy U.S. Marshal Derrick Williams, United States Marshals Service (USMS)
• Cpl. Treavor Dubiel, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Cpl. Adam Aldridge, Charleston Police Department
• Detective Joshua Mena, Charleston Police Department (now with HSI)

Tiwan Robert Bailey led a sex trafficking conspiracy during which he trafficked four different female victims, including a 17-year-old girl. Bailey required each victim to engage in commercial sex acts and provide all the money they received to him. Bailey forced his victims to post sex ads online as part of his trafficking scheme. Bailey also obstructed the federal investigation of the sex trafficking conspiracy by seeking to interfere with any potential cooperation and testimony by the minor female victim.

Bailey coerced his adult victims through repeated acts of violence, including sexual assaults and physical beatings. Bailey reinforced this control through threats he issued to his victims in person and through voice messages, texts, and Facebook Messenger. Bailey supplied drugs to the victims suffering from addiction and withheld drugs from them as punishment.

Bailey became a fugitive after a warrant for his arrest was issued in this case in July 2024. The United States Marshals Service captured Bailey on January 17, 2025, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Bailey was sentenced to 25 years in prison on February 9, 2026, following his conviction by a federal jury of all six felony counts against him. Co-defendant Carrie Roy was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the conspiracy.

Category: Project Safe Neighborhoods

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

Outstanding Project Safe Neighborhoods Case: U.S. vs Erin Leigh Keeney, et al. (3:25-cr-161)

• Special Agent Cory Jarrett, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Special Agent Sean McNees, ATF
• Special Agent Jason Berty, ATF
• Special Agent Quinn Conlon, ATF
• Special Agent Launa Hunt, ATF
• Special Agent Kachine Jonese, ATF
• Special Agent Ryan McComas, ATF
• Special Agent Joseph Reed, ATF
• Special Agent Mari Woodford, ATF
• Lt. Steve Maniskas, Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force (HVCDTF), Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. Michael Cremeans, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. Taylor Eastes, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. Jacob Fitzwater, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department
• Cpl. David Malcomb, HVCDTF, Huntington Police Department 
• Officer Ryan Harless, Huntington Police Department

This case resulted from an investigation that disrupted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area. Several of the conspirators possessed firearms during DTO transactions and sold firearms or sold drugs in exchange for firearms. Investigators seized 27 firearms and quantities of fentanyl, carfentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine. All seven individuals indicted as a result of this investigation pleaded guilty. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Charleston field office and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force (HVCDTF) conducted the investigation. The ATF field offices in Louisville, Lexington, and London, Kentucky and in Huntington and Clarksburg, West Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Huntington field office, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department assisted the investigation.

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

• Commander: Lt. Hedrick “Bo” Miller, Charleston Police Department

The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Task Force of the Year recognizes outstanding cooperative law enforcement efforts and endeavors that have significant and lasting community impact. A highlight of the ceremony, this award honors a task force for one or more specific cases and also for their continuing role in significant investigations and prosecutions.

This year’s award recognizes MDENT for its role in Operation Ghost.

Law Enforcement Officers of the Year

The Law Enforcement Officer of the Year awards honor individual federal, state, and local officers selected for outstanding contributions to significant cases.

• Federal Law Enforcement Officer of the Year: Special Agent Collin Nash, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year:Sgt. Jillian Yeager, West Virginia State Police (WVSP)
• Local Law Enforcement Officer of the Year: Cpl. David Malcomb, Huntington Police Department

U.S. Attorney’s Office Distinguished Service Award

• Special Agent Jennifer King, FBI

This award recognizes King for her deep experience, strong competitive drive, and unwavering commitment to fairness. Her dedication, professionalism, and service have strengthened the community, and set a standard for law enforcement excellence in this district.

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

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will honor more than 60 law enforcement professionals during the 2026 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston.

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

Capito will present awards for outstanding law enforcement work on major cases involving drug crimes, violent crimes, firearms offenses, white-collar crimes, and the sexual exploitation of minors. He will also present the U.S. Attorney’s Office Distinguished Service Award and awards honoring the federal, state, and local Law Enforcement Officers of the Year and the Task Force of the Year.

WHAT: 2026 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony

WHEN: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

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

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

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

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Eric Wade Thompson, 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 28 grams or more of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 26, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thompson’s apartment in Huntington and seized approximately 123.5 grams of fentanyl, approximately 92 grams of crack, and $1,763. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized controlled substances, that the seized cash was proceeds from drug sales, and that officers executed the search warrant after he sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on multiple prior occasions.

Thompson also admitted that he arranged the sale of approximately 6.5 grams of fentanyl by another individual in Huntington on February 11, 2026, and personally sold approximately 6.9 grams of fentanyl on March 11, 2026, and approximately 9 grams of fentanyl on March 20, 2026, each time inside his residence. All three sales were to a confidential informant.

Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.

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

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah N. Hudson and Joseph F. Adams are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-66.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – William Louis Johnson III, also known as “BJ,” 40, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. Johnson admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2025, Johnson sold approximately 389.2 grams of methamphetamine and 1 gram of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,400. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted that the confidential informant contacted him beforehand to arrange the transaction, that it occurred at a Huntington residence, and that co-defendant Elizabeth Jane Cumper delivered methamphetamine to him for the transaction.

Johnson further admitted that law enforcement officers in Ohio seized cash proceeds from fentanyl distributions during two different traffic stops of vehicles he was in while traveling from Huntington to Detroit. Officers recovered approximately $27,951 on March 17, 2025, and approximately $22,803 on July 9, 2025.

Johnson also admitted to selling methamphetamine on four occasions in August 2025, each time to a confidential informant in exchange for $650. Johnson sold approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine on August 7, 2025, approximately 107 grams of methamphetamine on August 11, 2025, and approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine on August 20, 2025, each time after the confidential informant contacted co-conspirator Joshua Willie McCarver. On August 14, 2025, Johnson sold approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine during a transaction arranged by co-conspirator Darnell Marice McCarver.

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.

Darnell Marice McCarver, also known as “WAP,” 20, of Detroit, was sentenced on April 13, 2026, to 12 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. His uncle, Joshua Willie McCarver, also known as “TJ,” 28, of Detroit, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 23, 2026, after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Four other co-defendants pleaded guilty in the case. The indictment is pending against Elizabeth Jane Cumper, 45, of Marlette, Michigan, and one other co-defendant. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department, and the assistance provided by the Ohio Highway Patrol and the Marion County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent 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. 3:25-cr-154.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jerod Timothy Vannatter, 43, of Barboursville, pleaded guilty today to money laundering. Vannatter admitted that he embezzled $624,599.86 from a nonprofit veterinary clinic he managed.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Vannatter was the clinic’s manager from approximately February 2018 to approximately February 2025 and oversaw all administrative functions, including payroll and vendor payments. As part of his guilty plea, Vannatter admitted that he conducted his fraud scheme from approximately October 2022 until approximately December 2024. Vannatter made multiple payroll and other unearned deposits into his personal checking account using numerous checks he issued from the clinic’s bank account. Vannatter also created false vendor invoices to initiate payments from the clinic’s bank account and directed those illicit payments to his personal checking account.

As part of his embezzlement scheme, Vannatter transferred $20,000 in embezzled funds from his checking account to his savings account on October 11, 2023. Vannatter admitted that he embezzled a total of $624,599.86, that he initiated and carried out his embezzlement scheme because he was addicted to online gambling, and that he lost all the proceeds from his scheme as a result of gambling.

Vannatter is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Vannatter also owes $624,599.86 in restitution.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Barboursville Police Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-109.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Stephen Burks, 49, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 11, 2026, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a disturbance on North Kanawha Street in Beckley and encountered Burks. As part of his guilty plea, Burks admitted that he was intoxicated when officers encountered him and that he possessed a Smith & Wesson model Shield 9mm pistol that the officers found on his person during a search.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Burks knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for attempted first-degree murder, malicious wounding, wanton endangerment, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Raleigh County Circuit Court on December 7, 2009.

Burks is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley Police Department.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 5:26-cr-110.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, McCayla Myers, 27, of Charleston, was sentenced to one year of federal probation and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined for aiding and abetting theft of government money and Elizabeth Wells, 36, formerly of Cabin Creek, pleaded guilty to theft of public money, property, or records. Each woman admitted to a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about April 22, 2021, through on or about May 22, 2021, Myers provided her personal information to another individual to apply for and obtain four PPP loans, each for $20,833.00, through fraud. Two of the loan applications falsely claimed those loans were for an automotive repair business, and the other two falsely claimed those were for a delivery service business.

The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible essential expenses. As part of her guilty plea, Myers admitted that she knowingly defrauded the PPP program, that she did not own or operate the businesses listed on the loan applications, and that she did not have payroll or other qualifying business expenses at that time. Myers further admitted that she spent the PPP loan proceeds on clothing, firearms, vacations, and other personal expenses while knowing that none of these purchases were eligible expenses.

Myers also admitted that she sought to have one of the $20,833 loans forgiven on or about December 16, 2022, by falsely claiming that she had spent $19,000 of the proceeds on payroll.

Wells admitted that a PPP loan application was submitted on her behalf on March 20, 2021, alleging that she operated a business under her name and earned a gross annual income of $106,600. The application was approved and $20,833.00 in loan proceeds was deposited into Wells’ personal bank account. As part of her guilty plea, Wells admitted that she did not own any business and had not earned the income alleged on the application. Wells further admitted that she had no legitimate reason to receive the PPP loan, and that she spent the proceeds on personal expenses not allowed by the loan program.

Wells, who now lives in Sumter, South Carolina, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Wells also owes $23,637.22 in restitution.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG).

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

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Frail and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the cases.

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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. 2:26-cr-53 (Myers) and 2:26-cr-54 (Wells) .

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – After a one-day trial yesterday, a federal jury found Randy Hightower, also known as “Renere Hightower,” 41, guilty of possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 22, 2023, Hightower was an inmate at FCI McDowell when a staff member conducted a search of Hightower and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his right front pants pocket. The shank was a piece of metal with a sharpened point on one end, and a cloth handle made from an institutional blanket on the other.

Hightower faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. 

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the jury trial. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy L. McLaughlin and Brian D. Parsons are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-144.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Lee Camp, 46, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 4, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Camp’s residence and seized 428 grams of methamphetamine and 16 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Camp admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them. Camp further admitted that he also distributed a total of 21 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant over five separate transactions between February 27, 2025, and March 25, 2025, in St. Albans. 

Camp is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-170.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito announced a guilty plea today as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration, and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Southern District of West Virginia was a key participant in this surge effort.

From June 12 to September 1, 2026, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.

“The whole-of-government crackdown on fraud is delivering decisive results, and the SBA surge demonstrates that our commitment is only strengthening,” Capito said. “Our office has secured 33 criminal convictions for COVID-19 fraud and more than $5.1 million in restitution. We will continue to root out pandemic-era fraud wherever it exists, hold every offender accountable, and bring those responsible to justice.”

“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns — not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications — but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder to shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”

“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”

“Operation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA’s pandemic relief programs,” said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. “By concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.”

Capito announced that Nicholas Kind, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on August 3, 2026, to theft of public money, property, or records. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2021, a PPP loan application was submitted on Kind’s behalf. As part of his guilty plea, Kind admitted that the PPP loan application falsely stated that he had a business, that it was eligible for PPP funds, and that his gross income was $106,000 for the 2019 tax year. On March 2, 2021, the PPP loan application was approved and $20,000 in loan proceeds was deposited in Kind’s personal bank account. Kind admitted that he knew there was no legitimate reason for him to receive the $20,000 in PPP loan proceeds, and that he converted the money for his personal use. Kind is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Kind also owes $20,000 in restitution.

This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG).

“We are proud to be part of this collaboration with the Department of Justice, SBA OIG, and our law enforcement partners,” said Robert Steinau, Senior Official at the NASA Office of Inspector General. “This summer surge underscores our unwavering commitment to tracking down the bad actors who exploited vital COVID-19 relief programs for personal gain. Holding these fraudsters accountable is paramount; every stolen PPP loan represents taxpayer money taken directly from the honest Americans it was meant to help.”

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

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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. 2:26-cr-81.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tony Eldon Lee Jr., 40, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine resulting in death.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 19, 2025, Lee sold approximately 1.8 grams of methamphetamine to the 15-year-old son of his girlfriend, with whom he resided in Huntington, in exchange for $30. As part of his guilty plea, Lee admitted that he conducted the transaction after exchanging text messages with the teen, identified as “B.M.” Lee further admitted that B.M. died as a result of methamphetamine intoxication shortly after he ingested the methamphetamine that Lee sold to him, and that the methamphetamine was an independently sufficient cause of B.M.’s death.

Lee is scheduled to be sentenced on February 1, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.

“A child lost their life because of this defendant’s actions. Those who flood our communities with illicit drugs show no regard for the lives they impact, devastate, and — tragically, in this case — destroy,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “I commend the Huntington Police Department for their exemplary work in ensuring this defendant was brought to justice. We must remain steadfast and unrelenting in our efforts to remove from our communities those who inflict harm through drug trafficking.”

“This heartbreaking case highlights the devastating impact that illicit drugs have on our children,” said Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins. “Our officers are dedicated to holding dealers accountable for the lives they destroy. I am grateful for the tireless work of our detectives and to the U.S. Attorney's Office for their partnership in securing this conviction.”

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-65.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nigel Jamille Coats, 22, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of quantities of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 13, 2025, Coats sold approximately 22 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,200 in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Coats admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling approximately 18.12 grams of fentanyl on November 6, 2025, and approximately 18.12 grams of fentanyl on December 31, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,200. On January 6, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Coats’ Huntington residence and seized approximately 18 grams of fentanyl.

Coats also admitted to arranging the sale of approximately 21.57 grams of fentanyl by co-defendant Wesley Tramaine Cornish to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,200 on December 16, 2025.

Coats is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. 

Cornish, 22, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on August 31, 2026, to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2027.

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

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah N. Hudson and Joseph F. Adams are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 3:26-cr-22.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito joined with U.S. Marshal Jack Chambers, West Virginia State Police Colonel James Mitchell, and other law enforcement partners today to announce the success of “Operation Coal Country.” The multi-week enforcement initiative targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, violent fugitives, and other wanted individuals throughout the Southern District of West Virginia.

The 59 individuals arrested during the operation, which began August 13, 2026, and concluded last week, include 16 convicted sex offenders wanted on registration violations and 10 individuals charged with new sex offenses. The West Virginia State Police conducted over 380 compliance checks of registered sex offenders as part of Operation Coal Country.

“Each arrest resulting from these targeted enforcement operations protects our communities and makes them safer,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “The success of this operation continues the momentum we’ve created through dedicated, collaborative, and aggressive efforts with our law enforcement partners.”

Those arrested during Operation Coal Country include Clinton G. McNeely, 31, of Lyburn. A federal grand jury indicted McNeely on August 18, 2026, on three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of production of obscene material. McNeely was arrested on August 20, 2026. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Two convicted sex offenders were indicted as part of Operation Coal Country after allegedly violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, SORNA provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

Among the other individuals arrested during Operation Coal Country, five face federal drug charges, three allegedly violated federal supervised release, and two allegedly violated terms of their federal pretrial release. 

Operation Coal Country focused heavily on sex offender compliance and fugitive apprehension throughout the West Virginia State Police Troop 5 area of Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, and Wayne counties. Several of those arrested face charges in additional counties within the Southern District of West Virginia. Those arrested also include a fugitive wanted for murder in Florida who was captured in Dunbar, and a suspect in the sexual abuse of a female juvenile family member in Parkersburg who was arrested in Arizona. Participating law enforcement also found a missing child after an alleged parental abduction in Wood County.

The operation brought together federal, state, and local law enforcement resources in a coordinated effort to locate and apprehend fugitives while also conducting enforcement activities involving registered sex offenders. Investigators worked to identify registered sex offenders who were not complying with state and federal registration requirements and to locate individuals wanted for crimes involving sexual offenses.

Officers also seized 75.1 grams of fentanyl, 1.54 kilograms of methamphetamine, 33.3 grams of cocaine, approximately $6,000, one firearm, and assorted ammunition. 

“The success of Operation Coal Country demonstrates what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combine their resources toward a common mission,” said U.S. Marshal Jack Chambers. “Fifty-nine arrests over the course of this operation means 59 wanted individuals were located and taken into custody. More importantly, this operation placed a significant emphasis on protecting our communities from individuals who have committed sex offenses or failed to comply with their registration requirements. The U.S. Marshals Service and West Virginia State Police will continue working together to investigate noncompliant sex offenders and apprehend dangerous fugitives throughout southern West Virginia.”

“When law enforcement works together, criminals have fewer places to hide,” said Colonel James Mitchell, superintendent of the West Virginia State Police. “Operation Coal Country shows the power of a coordinated, proactive approach to protecting our communities and holding offenders accountable. The West Virginia State Police is proud to stand with the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in doing everything we can to keep the people of West Virginia safe.”

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force and the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) led Operation Coal Country in partnership with numerous other law enforcement organizations:

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
• WVSP Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force
• WVSP Sex Offender Registry
• West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Parole Services
• Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
• Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
• Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office
• Logan County Sheriff’s Office 
• Mercer County Sheriff’s Office
• Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
• Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office
• Barboursville Police Department
• Beckley Police Department 
• Fayetteville Police Department
• Huntington Police Department
• Kenova Police Department
• Lewisburg Police Department 
• Parkersburg Police Department
• Princeton Police Department 
• St. Albans Police Department
• South Charleston Police Department
• USMS Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force
• USMS Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force

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

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alphonso LeSean Johnson, 36, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 8, 2025, Johnson possessed a Taurus model G3C 9mm pistol in Parkersburg.

Federal law prohibits a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior convictions for domestic violence against a female victim who had cohabitated with and who was similarly situated as a spouse in Marietta, Ohio, Municipal Court on February 20, 2019, and for infliction of injury on a parent or child against K.D., with whom he shared a child in common, in Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, on March 16, 2010.

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wood County Sheriff's Office, and the Parkersburg Police Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys D. Keith Randolph and JC MacCallum are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 2:26-cr-58.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Anthony Barrett, 47, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Barrett’s South Charleston residence and seized 432.5 grams of methamphetamine, 25.2 grams of cocaine, 11.4 grams of crack, and 13.68 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Barrett admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them to others.

Barrett further admitted that he sold 55.73 grams of methamphetamine on May 8, 2025, and 2.82 grams of fentanyl and 3.34 grams of crack on May 19, 2025, that both transactions occurred at his residence, and that he sold the controlled substances to a confidential informant.

Barrett has a criminal history that includes four prior convictions for domestic battery and prior convictions for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-cocaine and attempted escape.

Barrett is among more than a dozen individuals indicted by a federal grand jury following an investigation of drug trafficking in the Charleston area. Nine defendants pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine between June 2024 and May 2025. Barrett is among five defendants who pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the same federal investigation.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Charleston Police Department. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent 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. 2:25-cr-189.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Nathaniel Wilburn, 35, of Ghent, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilburn’s residence and found a Hi-Point JCP .40-caliber pistol, a Charles Daily 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger EC9 9mm pistol, and a Taurus 12-gauge shotgun. As part of his guilty plea, Wilburn admitted to possessing the firearms.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wilburn knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for breaking and entering in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 15, 2023. 

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

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 5:25-cr-67.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 70, of Charlton Heights, was sentenced today to six months in prison and ordered to pay $266,053 in restitution for filing a false tax return. Graves admitted to causing tax losses totaling $266,053 by underreporting his income.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2021, Graves filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return for tax year 2016 that falsely listed his income as $816. Graves’ actual tax income for 2016 was approximately $427,256, and his false tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $125,285.

As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted to filing the false tax return for 2016. Graves further admitted that he falsely listed his annual income as $816 on tax returns for years 2017 to 2020, that the total amount of income he failed to report on his returns from 2016 to 2020 was approximately $1,035,419, and that the total tax liability that he wrongly withheld from the U.S. Treasury Department from 2016 through 2020 was approximately $266,053.

During the time period, Graves owned and operated West Virginia Environmental Services, Inc. (WVES). Graves and WVES were paid over $9.8 million from 2006 to 2020 to accept industrial waste at a Fayette County landfill and treat the resulting contaminated liquid or leachate. On February 22, 2023, Graves pleaded guilty as an individual and on behalf of WVES to violating the Clean Water Act, admitting they failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. This failure by Graves and WVES caused the discharge of toxic pollutants including arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium into Jarrett Branch, a tributary that flows into the Kanawha River near Alloy. On December 21, 2023, Graves was sentenced to one year of incarceration, to be served on home confinement as part of a five-year term of federal probation, and fined $10,000. WVES was fined $500,000 and placed on corporate probation for three years.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Clean Water Act violations, which brought the false tax returns to light.

The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-31.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dondre Hudson, 28, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2025, Hudson picked up a package containing methamphetamine in Dunbar, West Virginia, and delivered it to a location in St. Albans. As part of his guilty plea, Hudson admitted that he knew the package contained a controlled substance, that he communicated by cell phone with another individual who directed him where to deliver it, and that the individual was a co-conspirator in a methamphetamine trafficking scheme. 

Hudson further admitted that he became aware of and knowingly and intentionally participated in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy prior to August 2025. Hudson assisted the conspiracy by delivering tens of thousands of dollars to a methamphetamine supplier on multiple occasions. Hudson used his cell phone to facilitate drug trafficking offenses during the conspiracy, coordinating with the co-conspirator and the supplier to facilitate the money deliveries.

Hudson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-77.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Zachary Hess Dawson, 39, an inmate at the Mount Olive Correctional Complex, pleaded guilty today to theft of public money. Dawson admitted that he fraudulently obtained $354,813.98 in United States Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Dawson received the recurring benefits beginning on or about January 12, 2017, and continuing to on or about September 30, 2025. As part of his guilty plea, Dawson admitted that he obtained the benefits fraudulently by falsely claiming that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from his U.S. Army service in Afghanistan during the summer of 2009. Dawson further admitted that he knew he was not eligible for the benefits, and knowingly and willfully made false statements to VA and Veterans Benefits Administration officials to obtain them.

Dawson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Dawson also owes $354,813.98 in restitution.

Dawson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in November 2024 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in Greenbrier County Circuit Court in the fatal Thanksgiving 2022 beating of his wife in Alderson.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting the case.

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.

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. 2:26-cr-84.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Terrence Lowell Ramsey, 41, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to escape.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Ramsey was in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Dismas Charities Inc., a residential reentry facility in St. Albans, when he was authorized to spend the weekend with his wife at her residence beginning on April 10, 2026, and was required to return to the facility on April 12, 2026. Ramsey failed to return to the facility as required. Law enforcement officers arrested Ramsey on April 30, 2026, in Charleston after he fled from police on a bicycle and on foot.

Ramsey was serving a sentence at Dismas Charities Inc. for violating the terms of supervised release imposed following his felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

Ramsey is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, and the Charleston Police Department.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-74.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Cecil Monroe Bowman, 72, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 2, 2026, law enforcement officers had an arrest warrant for Bowman and encountered him with a vehicle in a Huntington gas station parking lot. A K9 unit alerted to the vehicle, and officers seized a quantity of a methamphetamine mixture from the vehicle during a subsequent search.

Bowman is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.

At the time of this offense, Bowman was serving a term of supervised release following his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute heroin in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 28, 2021.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-69.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Quantel Saunders, 31, an inmate, pleaded guilty today to possession of contraband in a federal correctional institution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Saunders was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley on October 13, 2024, when staff conducted a search of his person following a visitation. Staff found a quantity of tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, and cocaine on Saunders during the search.

Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. 

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-148.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Troy Alan Glover, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 17, 2025, Glover sold 111 grams of methamphetamine and 9.7 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in the informant’s vehicle in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Glover admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.

Glover further admitted that he sold approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine and 9.9 grams of fentanyl on March 14, 2025, and approximately 19.9 grams of fentanyl on March 26, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $940. Glover also admitted that he sold approximately 18.5 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on April 28, 2025, in Huntington in exchange for $900.

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

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-139.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Enouch Jairus Kermue, 37, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Born in Liberia and not a United States citizen, Kermue is subject to a pending final removal order and will be transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) administrative custody upon the conclusion of his criminal case.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 20, 2024, Kermue sold approximately 212 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while in a vehicle parked outside a Parkersburg, West Virginia, business. Investigators determined Kermue distributed large quantities of methamphetamine sourced directly from the Sinaloa Cartel to other dealers who redistributed it in the Parkersburg area and beyond.

Kermue has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for aggravated theft, robbery, assault, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbus, Ohio, Police Department.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-17.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 32, a Mexican national living illegally in the United States, was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Villa-Chairez and he will be subject to deportation proceedings upon the completion of his prison sentence.

According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024 until in or around about October 2024, Villa-Chairez conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez admitted that he assisted the conspiracy by shipping methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere.

In July 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped two separate packages containing a total of 1.97 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” from Houston, Texas, to a customer in West Virginia after receiving instructions from a co-conspirator. On or about July 18, 2024, Villa-Chairez picked up a package containing $4,800 sent by the customer, notified a co-conspirator that he had obtained the package, and re-shipped it to Washington state.

In August 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped a package containing approximately 963.8 grams of methamphetamine to Alabama. In October 2024, Villa-Chairez assisted a co-conspirator who was delivering approximately 5.905 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” and approximately 4.402 kilograms of methamphetamine by vehicle to West Virginia by providing him with directions to a hotel and a casino in Kanawha County.

As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez also admitted that he has lived illegally in the United States under the name “Jose Jesus Villa-Chairez” and has been convicted of two federal felony offenses under that name. Villa-Chairez has been previously deported from the United States three times and illegally re-entered the country a fourth time prior to his current offense.  

Villa-Chairez and two other Mexican nationals living illegally in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. Co-defendant Silvester Barcenas, 24, was sentenced on February 11, 2026, to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. Lead defendant German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41, remains a fugitive. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Israel Chaires-Villa, 24, a Mexican national, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. Chaires-Villa pleaded guilty in a separate indictment resulting from the joint investigation. 

ICE has immigration detainers on Barcenas and Chaires-Villa, and each will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings upon the completion of his prison sentence. 

“This case is a stark example of what happens when our immigration laws are ignored,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “This defendant was deported three times, illegally returned to the United States, and then trafficked nearly 60 pounds of methamphetamine into our communities. Our country cannot tolerate a revolving door where individuals repeatedly violate our border, return illegally, and profit from poisoning Americans. If you come into this country illegally and deal deadly drugs, expect federal law enforcement to find you, prosecute you, and put you behind bars.”

Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176.

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A deputy with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office was charged yesterday in an indictment with one count of alleged deprivation of rights under color of law arising out of his alleged sexual assault of a female inmate in his custody.

According to the indictment, on July 29, 2025, Cass Aaron Close, 56, violated the civil rights of the victim when he sexually assaulted her. At the time of the assault, Close was on duty as a Kanawha County Sheriff’s deputy and the victim was in his custody at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex. If convicted of all the charges, Close faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office with assistance from the West Virginia State Police.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Herrald for the Southern District of West Virginia and Trial Attorneys Cassandra Hughes and Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

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

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Masters, 38, of Victor, was sentenced today to one year of federal probation and ordered to pay $150 in restitution for theft of government property.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or around October 2025 to in or around February 2026, Masters was employed by the National Park Service when he stole approximately $150 from a donation box at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, part of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in Lansing, Fayette County. As part of his guilty plea, Masters admitted that he used his position to access and remove money from the donation box without permission or authority on several occasions, and covered surveillance cameras to avoid detection.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Park Service.

United States Magistrate Judge Dwane L. Tinsley imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Amy L. McLaughlin 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. 2:26-cr-60.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury indicted a former deputy with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law arising out of his alleged sexual assault of a female inmate in his custody.

According to the indictment, on July 29, 2025, Cass Aaron Close, 56, violated the civil rights of the victim when he sexually assaulted her. At the time of the assault, Close was on duty as a Kanawha County Sheriff’s deputy and the victim was in his custody at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex. If convicted, Close faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office with assistance from the West Virginia State Police.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald for the Southern District of West Virginia and Trial Attorneys Cassandra Hughes and Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty 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. 2:26-cr-102.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito announced today that a federal grand jury indicted David Elliott Pritt, 36, of Oak Hill, on three felony counts alleging sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a child, and tampering with a witness, victim, or informant.

The indictment alleges that from in or about March 2024 through in or about January 2026, Pritt attempted to and did persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct, and from in or about June 2025 through in or about January 2026 did so for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such sexually explicit conduct using the internet and cellular networks. The indictment further alleges that on or about June 20, 2026, Pritt attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade the minor female with the intent to hinder, delay, and prevent the communication of information relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal crime to a law enforcement officer.

Pritt was arrested on July 22, 2026, following an investigation. At the time of the alleged offenses, Pritt was employed as a teacher with Fayette County Schools and represented a Fayette County district in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Following his arrest, Pritt resigned from the West Virginia Legislature and the Fayette County Board of Education suspended and then terminated his employment. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

“With West Virginia’s children returning to school this month, now is another opportunity for parents and caregivers to have those important conversations with their kids,” Capito said. “Our children need to know that they can safely report and talk about any situation that potentially involves grooming, inappropriate behavior, or abuse.” 

Capito also continued to encourage anyone with information relevant to this case to contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office at (304) 574-4268. 

Capito commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Irene C. Berger and United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn.Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-97.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kelli Rucker, also known as “Kelli Engler,” 48, of Nitro, was sentenced today to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $18,472.75 in restitution for wire fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Rucker was hired by the West Virginia Division of Labor as an Administrative Services Manager I in 2020 and assigned three state purchasing credit cards. From 2022 through February 2023, Rucker fraudulently made unauthorized purchases with the three cards that resulted in losses totaling $18,472.75 to the State of West Virginia. As part of her guilty plea, Rucker admitted that she knew she was not permitted to make personal purchases with a state-issued card and that she electronically paid personal expenses including gas and electric bills, hospital expenses, and cable television bills as part of her fraudulent scheme. Rucker further admitted that her fraudulent use of the cards included a $2,200 charge transmitted electronically on January 28, 2023.

Rucker has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for access device fraud on October 13, 2010, and failure to appear on October 11, 2016, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. 

“Fraud — of any size and in any form — will be met with decisive action,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Every scam, from minor schemes to large scale operations, drains America’s taxpayers, stealing an estimated $233 billion to $521 billion from the federal government each year. That is unacceptable. Our office is fully committed to a coordinated, government-wide effort to combat fraud, and we will hold accountable anyone who steals from hardworking Americans. We urge every agency, partner, and citizen to stay vigilant, report suspicious activity, and join us in protecting taxpayer dollars.” 

Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Division of Labor. 

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case. 

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-176.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kenneth McCord, 56, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between on or about March 4, 2024, and on or about February 4, 2025, McCord communicated using his phone with a 15-year-old male resident of California via text messages, other online messaging, and video-calling platforms. As part of his guilty plea, McCord admitted that he knew the individual was a minor male, that he persuaded and enticed the 15-year-old to send him sexually explicit images and videos of himself, and that these sexually explicit materials included live video transmissions of the minor male masturbating and displaying his genitals. 

McCord further admitted that between June 2024 and February 2025, he sent obscene materials including live video transmissions of himself masturbating and ejaculating to the minor male via the internet and cellular networks. 

McCord is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. McCord must also register as a sex offender and owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court. 

McCord is retired from the West Virginia State Police and was a senior investigator with the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations at the time of this offense. 

“This case represents a staggering and unforgivable betrayal by someone entrusted to uphold the law and safeguard the community,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Few acts demonstrate such profound moral failure. This office remains relentless and uncompromising in its duty to protect our children and to ensure every predator is brought swiftly and decisively to justice.”

Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

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

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. 

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-52.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Curtis Atwell, 52, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2026, Atwell possessed three Winchester .410-gauge shotgun shells in Charleston. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Atwell admitted that he possessed the ammunition and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction for wanton endangerment in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 10, 2017.

Atwell further admitted that he sold the ammunition to a confidential informant and during that transaction also sold a firearm assembled using a 10.75-inch metal pipe and improvised firing mechanism designed to expel the contents of inserted shotgun shells. Atwell admitted that he demonstrated how to fire the firearm behind a business on Charleston’s West Side. Atwell also admitted that he sold the confidential informant a pipe bomb assembled from galvanized pipe, an elbow joint, end caps, and a wick. The pipe bomb was filled with explosive powder and could create a blast, expelling the contents of the pipe.

Atwell is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

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

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 2:26-cr-27.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Tanisha Constance Brown, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and Tiffany Sloan-Combs, 40, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Brown and Sloan-Combs admitted to their roles in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in the Charleston area. Sloan-Combs also pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in a separate case.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Brown and Sloan-Combs each admitted that they participated in the conspiracy’s distribution of fentanyl between September 2025 and April 2026. Brown lived with a co-conspirator who obtained the fentanyl and worked with her to sell it. Brown and the co-conspirator generally prepared the fentanyl at their Charleston residence, keeping some of the fentanyl there and the rest at a stash location in South Charleston. Sloan-Combs sometimes mixed the fentanyl with non-controlled substance cutting agents at Brown’s request before its distribution to customers and prepared bags containing certain quantities of fentanyl for Brown to distribute to customers. Brown distributed quantities of fentanyl to others in the Charleston area with the understanding that several of her customers redistributed the fentanyl to third-party customers. Sloan-Combs re-distributed some of the fentanyl she acquired as part of the conspiracy to third parties while also using some of it.

As part of her guilty plea, Brown further admitted that she participated in the conspiracy’s distribution of crack between March 2026 and April 2026. Brown facilitated transactions between a male co-conspirator who supplied the crack and a female co-conspirator who typically used it. These transactions typically took place at or near the male co-conspirator’s Charleston residence.

In the separate case, Sloan-Combs admitted that she sold approximately 4 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,300 on May 23, 2023, inside a convenience store restroom in Charleston.

Brown and Sloan-Combs are scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2026. Brown faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. Sloan-Combs faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 60 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $6 million.

Brown and Sloan-Combs are among eight individuals indicted following a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. On July 22, 2026, lead defendant Antonio Andre Smith, also known as “Bro,” 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and co-conspirator Jerry Lucilo Grass, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Smith and Grass, both of Charleston, are scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2026. Two other defendants pleaded guilty to charges separate from the main indictment, which remains pending against the other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Amy L. McLaughlin are prosecuting the cases.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:26-cr-51 (Smith et al.) and 2:26-cr-25 (Sloan-Combs).

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Joseph Kessler III, 45, of Beckwith, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 25, 2024, Kessler sold a total of 18 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant over the course of two transactions, one in Raleigh County and the other at Kessler’s residence in Beckwith. On June 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kessler’s residence and seized approximately 36 grams of fentanyl, 263.4 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and ketamine, 45.7 grams of methamphetamine, a CZ Model P-10s 9mm pistol, and $4,603. The seized currency included $505 of prerecorded money exchanged during the controlled buys.

Kessler has a criminal history that dates back to 2004 and includes two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin 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. 2:25-cr-146.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Carlos Alvin Myles, also known as “Choppa,” 38, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2024, Myles sold approximately 3.42 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a residence on Charleston’s West Side. As part of his guilty plea, Myles admitted to conducting the transaction. Myles further admitted that the transaction was part of a conspiracy to distribute drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia, and that he participated in the conspiracy between February and May 2024. 

Myles is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. 

Myles is among five defendants indicted by a federal grand jury following a federal investigation of drug trafficking in the Charleston area. Two co-defendants previously pleaded guilty. The indictment remains pending against the other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin and former Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon have 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. 2:26-cr-18.

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Justin L. Wiegand, 34, of Kenova, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography.

“Sexual exploitation of children is one of the worst and most damaging crimes in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Those who participate in these crimes damage lives, rob innocence, and create emotional wounds that last a lifetime. Whether you produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM), distribute it, or access it via subscriptions to messaging apps, we will find and prosecute you subject to mandatory minimum penalties, as in the case of this repeat offender.”

“This predator admitted to continuing his horrific crimes against children even while serving a sentence for statutory rape,” said U.S. Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia. “Our office remains steadfast and unrelenting, working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our children and communities from such heinous and abhorrent offenses.”

“This case demonstrates how DSS leverages its global footprint to protect vulnerable victims and works with law enforcement partners on complex, multi-jurisdictional investigations,” said Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari of the Office of Investigations for the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). “Every day, DSS works alongside U.S. and international partners to investigate cases like this, protect victims, and safeguard U.S. interests at home and abroad.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2023, Wiegand contacted a user on an instant messaging app who provided Wiegand with options for purchasing videos and links to files depicting CSAM. The options included “Cp,” “Kids,” and “Young Girls.” As part of his guilty plea, Wiegand admitted that he ordered a package from the Young Girls and Kids options that included approximately 160 videos and links to four folders on an online file hosting service containing over 50 gigabytes of CSAM. Wiegand further admitted that the videos sent to him depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including adult males having sexual intercourse with prepubescent females. Wiegand paid the messaging app user $25 for the package via an online payments system. At the user’s direction, Wiegand messaged a different messaging app account that provided Wiegand with the videos and online links he purchased.

Wiegand purchased CSAM from the same and other messaging app users on at least eight other occasions between December 2023 and January 2025. Wiegand requested such content as “young girls cp” and asked if the user had rape videos during these transactions. Wiegand also set up a hidden camera in a bathroom at his residence and recorded a video of an approximately 10-year-old girl undressing until she was nude and taking a shower. The video was saved on one of Wiegand’s cell phones no later than July 29, 2025. Wiegand possessed numerous images and videos of CSAM on his cell phones, including depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexual intercourse and oral sex with adults. Wiegand saved some of these images and videos using a private cloud storage service, including at least two images depicting an approximately 14-year-old girl displaying her nude genital area.

Wiegand was previously convicted of two counts of third-degree sexual assault in Wayne County Circuit Court on May 5, 2023. As part of today’s guilty plea, Wiegand admitted that his victim in that case is the approximately 14-year-old girl depicted in the CSAM on the private cloud storage service. Wiegard also admitted that he was serving a term of home confinement for those convictions at the time of his current offense. 

Wiegand is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 23 and faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. 

DSS investigated the case with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police.

Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Justin L. Wiegand, 34, of Kenova, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2023, Wiegand contacted a user on an instant messaging app who provided Wiegand with options for purchasing videos and links to files depicting child pornography. The options included “Cp,” “Kids,” and “Young Girls.” As part of his guilty plea, Wiegand admitted that he ordered a package from the Young Girls and Kids options that included approximately 160 videos and links to four folders on an online file hosting service containing over 50 gigabytes of child pornography. Wiegand further admitted that the videos sent to him depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including adult males having sexual intercourse with prepubescent females. Wiegand paid the messaging app user $25 for the package via an online payments system. At the user’s direction, Wiegand messaged a different messaging app account that provided Wiegand with the videos and online links he purchased.

Wiegand also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. Wiegand purchased child pornography from the same and other messaging app users on at least eight other occasions between December 2023 and January 2025. Wiegand requested such content as “young girls cp” and asked if the user had rape videos during these transactions. Wiegand also set up a hidden camera in a bathroom at his residence and recorded a video of an approximately 10-year-old girl undressing until she was nude and taking a shower. The video was saved on one of Wiegand’s cell phones no later than July 29, 2025. Wiegand possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography on his cell phones, including depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexual intercourse and oral sex with adults. Wiegand saved some of these images and videos using a private cloud storage service, including at least two images depicting an approximately 14-year-old girl displaying her nude genital area.

Wiegand was previously convicted of two counts of third-degree sexual assault in Wayne County Circuit Court on May 5, 2023. As part of today’s guilty plea, Wiegand admitted that his victim in that case is the approximately 14-year-old girl depicted in the child pornography on the private cloud storage service. Wiegard also admitted that he was serving a term of home confinement for those convictions at the time of his current offense. 

Wiegand is scheduled to be sentenced on November 23, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. 

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) investigated the case with assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the West Virginia State Police. 

“Sexual exploitation of children is one of the worst and most damaging crimes in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Those who participate in these crimes damage lives, rob innocence, and create emotional wounds that last a lifetime. Whether you produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM), distribute it, or access it via subscriptions to messaging apps, we will find and prosecute you subject to mandatory minimum penalties, as in the case of this repeat offender.”

“This predator admitted to continuing his horrific crimes against children even while serving a sentence for statutory rape,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Our office remains steadfast and unrelenting, working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our children and communities from such heinous and abhorrent offenses.”

“This case demonstrates how DSS leverages its global footprint to protect vulnerable victims and work with law enforcement partners on complex, multi-jurisdictional investigations,” said William Ferrari, Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Investigations for the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). “Every day, DSS works alongside U.S. and international partners to investigate cases like this, protect victims, and safeguard U.S. interests at home and abroad.”

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-197.

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BECKLEY, W.Va. – Delaquan Antonio Myers, also known as “Chase,” 37, of Dayton, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 7, 2022, Myers agreed to deliver approximately 400 grams of fentanyl to an individual in the Beaver area of Raleigh County, West Virginia.  Rather than deliver the fentanyl himself, Myers asked the buyer to send someone to meet him in Dayton, Ohio.  Two undercover law enforcement officers obtained the fentanyl from Myers.

Myers is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2026,  and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.

United States Attorney Moore Capito 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 Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell have prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-29.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joe Sidney Cross, 44, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Cross admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 13, 2025, Cross sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $220 in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Cross admitted that he arranged the transaction beforehand and conducted the drug deal in the confidential informant’s vehicle.

Cross also admitted to conspiring with another individual to conduct additional transactions on March 20 and March 24, 2025. During each transaction, Cross sold a firearm and co-conspirator Erin Leigh Keeney sold approximately 1 gram of carfentanil to a confidential informant. Cross further admitted to selling 8.45 grams of fentanyl on May 22, 2025, and approximately 11.44 grams of fentanyl on June 12, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington.

On September 11, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington residence while Cross was present and seized approximately 12.35 grams of suspected cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Cross admitted that he intended to sell the seized crack.

Cross and Keeney are among seven individuals indicted following a federal investigation of drug trafficking in the Huntington area. All seven defendants pleaded guilty. Keeney, 42, of Huntington, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2026, after pleading guilty to distribution of carfentanil.

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

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent 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. 3:25-cr-161.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito announced today that MWI Veterinary Supply Inc. (MWI) has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations it failed to identify large oxycodone HCL orders from a Putnam County, West Virginia, veterinarian as suspicious or flag them to authorities, resulting in abuse and probable diversion of these drugs.

MWI, also known as MWI Animal Health, is a global distributor of supplies and pharmaceuticals for the veterinary industry based in Boise, Idaho. As a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registrant authorized to distribute controlled substances, MWI is required under the Controlled Substances Act to design and operate a system to identify suspicious orders of controlled substances and to notify the DEA upon discovering such suspicious orders.

Federal investigators found that MWI’s internal Diversion Control Program policies required a suspicious order to be investigated by MWI’s Diversion Control Team, including documentation for the reason the order was flagged. The internal policy identified oxycodone HCL as a substance “especially susceptible to diversion” that required additional scrutiny. MWI’s internal policy noted that its Suspicious Order Monitoring System “will fail if individuals clear orders without adequate investigation.”

The federal investigation found that between March 8, 2018, and July 10, 2023, MWI filled orders totaling 14,200 dosage units of hydrocodone/acetaminophen at 10 milligrams each, 800 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 10 milligrams each, and 600 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 5 milligrams each for Dr. Clara Ann Mason, the Putnam County veterinarian. 

These orders were determined to be unusual for a veterinary practice, and amount to more than 16 times the national average for medical practitioners. For the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, Mason ordered substantially more hydrocodone/acetaminophen from MWI than any other individual customer. Mason accounted for all oxycodone HCL dosage units filled by MWI for West Virginia veterinarians in 2022 and 2023.

On September 13, 2022, MWI’s Suspicious Order Monitoring System flagged Mason’s order that day for 300 dosage units of oxycodone HCL at 10 milligrams each. Federal investigators determined than an MWI representative opened the suspicious order for review and released it the next day without substantial investigation. MWI filled nine subsequent orders for oxycodone HCL from Mason, including one for approximately 1,300 pills, without questioning Mason or doing further due diligence.

“The authority to distribute controlled substance requires complete adherence to the law and mandated internal policies to protect our communities against the consequences of diversion and abuse,” Capito said. “This settlement agreement is the result of outstanding work by the Drug Enforcement Administration, our office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil.” 

“DEA registrants like MWI are obligated to uphold the stringent reporting requirements outlined in the Controlled Substances Act; a failure to do so can result in the diversion of medications that have a high potential for abuse, and endanger our communities,” said Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Louisville Division, which serves Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.  “Hopefully, today’s settlement will serve as a costly reminder that compels MWI to take the threat of drug diversion seriously.”

Capito’s office secured a $956,709 default judgment against Mason on July 31, 2025. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers ordered Mason to pay the maximum civil penalties, concluding that she ordered thousands of doses of opioids and other drugs, failed to keep these drugs secured, failed to keep track of these drugs, and apparently fabricated records to cover her failures.

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. 3:35-cv-175 (Mason).

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito issued the following statement today regarding the passing of former U.S. Attorney Chuck Miller:

“Chuck Miller dedicated his life to public service and left a lasting mark on both this office and the people of Kanawha County. We are grateful for his service and the example he set for those who followed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

- United States Attorney Moore Capito

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

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Johnathan Matthew Taylor, 31, of Barboursville, pleaded guilty today to failure to update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about January 17, 2026, through on or about February 17, 2026, Taylor failed to update his registration after changing his employment.

Taylor is required to register as a sex offender following his conviction for traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 8, 2019. Taylor was serving a term of supervised release for that conviction at the time of his current offense.

Law enforcement officers arrested Taylor on April 2, 2026, following his indictment on his current offense as part of Operation Spring Sweep, a nearly month-long warrant and fugitive sweep led by the U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force that targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives.

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.

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

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-34.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito is encouraging residents throughout the Southern District of West Virginia to join his office, law enforcement, and other community partners for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will participate in National Night Out events at Orchard Manor in Charleston and Ritter Park in Huntington from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“National Night Out is a reminder that safer communities are built when neighbors look out for one another,” Capito said. “I encourage West Virginians to join us on August 4 to connect, learn, and stand together in support of our law enforcement and shared safety. Our office will be present in Charleston and Huntington, and we look forward to engaging with families across the Southern District.”

Additional National Night Out events are scheduled in the Southern District of West Virginia, including Dunbar, Marmet, and Parkersburg.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.

National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.

Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe. 

For more information, visit https://natw.org/.

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.

A video statement from United States Attorney Moore Capito is located on the office’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xat4PJIV92I.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeffrey Jeffers, 35, of Williamstown, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud. Jeffers admitted to stealing $510,465.19 from his employer through false charges to company-issued credit cards.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 2022 and July 2024, Jeffers delivered products by truck for a large provider of industrial gas from its distribution facility in Wood County. The delivery trucks were fueled at the distribution facility and were also equipped with fuel credit cards. As part of his guilty plea, Jeffers admitted that he fraudulently charged a total of $510,465.19 in fuel costs to the credit cards throughout his term of employment. Jeffers further admitted that the fraudulent credit card payments went to accounts for fictitious service stations he created on online payment processing platforms. Jeffers admitted that his delivery routes normally never required any refueling outside of the distribution facility.

Jeffers is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Jeffers also owes $510,465.19 in restitution. 

“This defendant exploited the trust placed in him by his employer and turned a company resource into a personal revenue stream,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Fraud is not a victimless crime. Every dollar stolen through deception is a dollar taken from a business, its employees, and ultimately the community it serves. This case demonstrates that complex fraud schemes carried out behind computer screens and online payment platforms are no less serious than any other form of theft. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who believe they can enrich themselves through dishonesty and abuse of trust.”

Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price 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. 2:26-cr-85.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cory Alan Kinsel, also known as “Cory Alan Hatcher,” 38, pleaded guilty today to failing to register and update his registration as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) after relocating from West Virginia to Ohio and obtaining employment in Kentucky.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 2, 2025, a law enforcement officer conducting a compliance check on Kinsel determined that Kinsel had left his registered address, a Charleston men’s shelter, without updating his registration. The resulting investigation revealed that Kinsel was living in South Point, Ohio, and working at a restaurant in Ashland, Kentucky, where he was arrested on October 8, 2025.

Kinsel knew he was required to register as a sex offender and maintain that registration as a result of his conviction for third-degree sexual assault of as 13-year-old girl in Hancock County Circuit Court in 2007.

Kinsel is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. 

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.

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

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-179.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston men pleaded guilty on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, admitting to roles in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in the Charleston area.

Antonio Andre Smith, also known as “Bro,” 50, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and Jerry Lucilo Grass, 41, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith and Grass each took part in the conspiracy between September 2025 and April 2026. Smith admitted that he distributed fentanyl generally in the Charleston area and worked with another co-conspirator to distribute fentanyl to customers.  Grass admitted that he generally acquired fentanyl from a co-conspirator and re-distributed at least some of it to third parties in the Charleston area while also using some of it. 

As part of his guilty plea, Grass also admitted that he contacted the co-conspirator on March 8, 2026, to request an ounce of fentanyl for a customer and an additional quantity for his personal use. Grass further admitted that he also contacted a co-conspirator on March 16, 2026, to inform her that he planned to provide all the fentanyl in his possession to a customer and needed an additional ounce from her for that transaction. Grass also admitted that another co-conspirator contacted him about that transaction to confirm that the customer needed the additional ounce.

Smith and Grass are scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2026. Smith faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Grass faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.

Smith and Grass are among eight individuals indicted following a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. Two of those defendants pleaded guilty to charges separate from the main indictment, which remains pending against the other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. 

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-51.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Dale Shuck, 47, of Coal City, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 16, 2024, Shuck sold approximately 13.92 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $200 in a service station parking lot in Beaver. Shuck admitted to the transaction as part of his guilty plea.

United States Attorney Moore Capito 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.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-41.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kevin Wayne Gardner, 42, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on Monday, July 27, 2026, to 14 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 16, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gardner in the Parkersburg area of Wood County. Officers seized approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine during a search of the vehicle.

Gardner has a criminal history that includes 10 prior felony convictions and multiple revocations of probation and parole.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force and the Wood County Sheriff's Office.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-190.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braden Robertson, 31, of Oak Hill, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2024, Robertson possessed a Ruger model Wrangler .22-caliber revolver, a Colt model Buntline Scout .22-caliber revolver, a Ruger model Blackhawk .45-caliber revolver, a Sar Arms model SARB6P Hawk 9mm pistol, and an Excam model GT27 .25-caliber pistol.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Robertson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to commit a felony and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance on July 30, 2018, in Fayette County Circuit Court.

Four of the firearms possessed by Robertson were stolen from a Fayette County pawn shop. On July 4, 2024, Jawuan Akil Watts and other individuals broke into the pawn shop on three occasions while the business was closed and stole 33 firearms, ammunition, coins, and a gaming console. Watts traded, sold, or gave many of the firearms to others in the Oak Hill community including individuals with felony convictions. On July 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Lesley Scott Watkins and found three firearms during the search, including two that were stolen from the pawn shop. Sixteen of the stolen firearms have not been recovered.

On December 4, 2025, Watts, 32, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Watkins, 51, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

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

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

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent 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. 2:26-cr-23.

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BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Casey Rygh, 47, of Rochester, Minnesota, pleaded guilty on Monday, July 27, 2026, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2025, law enforcement officers were searching for Rygh to serve felony arrest warrants when they located and captured him in the Matoaka area of Mercer County, West Virginia. Officers found he possessed a loaded SCCY Model CPX-2 9mm pistol.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Rygh knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for two counts of felony murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery in Logan County, West Virginia, Circuit Court on December 15, 1997.

Rygh is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Rygh was captured during Operation Rolling Waters, a 2025 warrant and fugitive sweep led by the U.S. Marshals Services Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force of Southern West Virginia.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent 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. 1:26-cr-40.

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