Federal court reports

Mar. 6—Kanawha County man gets 14 years for role in meth trafficking

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Michael Allen Roberts Jr., 40, of St. Albans, was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.

Roberts admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Charleston area.

According to court records, Roberts conspired with others between November 2022 and March 15, 2023, to distribute methamphetamine.

On March 14, 2023, Roberts met with co-defendant Todd Tyler Snead at Roberts' residence in Saint Albans, where he delivered approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine to Snead. Law enforcement officers later searched Snead's vehicle and recovered the methamphetamine.

Co-defendant Antonio Jeffries had delivered 50 pounds of methamphetamine to Roberts' residence a couple of weeks prior to March 15, 2023.

On March 15, 2023, law enforcement officers searched a property on Smith Street in St. Albans and seized approximately 44 pounds of methamphetamine. Roberts admitted that he had placed the methamphetamine at the property a day or two before the search.

Snead, 57, of Waynesboro, Va., was sentenced on Sept. 6, 2023, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

----Beckley woman pleads guilty to straw purchasing firearms

BECKLEY, W.Va. — Keniesha Brack, 27, of Beckley, pleaded guilty Tuesday to false statements made during the purchase of firearms.

According to court records, Brack purchased a Glock model 27 GEN5 .40-caliber pistol and a Glock model 30 .45-caliber pistol on June 19, 2021, from a Mount Hope business. Brack admitted that she falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing them for someone else.

On June 13, 2021, Brack attended the R+R Gun Show at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center in Beckley and purchased a Taurus model G3C 9mm pistol, a Taurus model G2C 9mm pistol and a Glock model 33GEN4 .357-caliber pistol from a federal firearm licensee. Brack admitted that she falsely certified on ATF Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing them for someone else.

On June 25, 2021, Brack purchased a Glock model 36 .45-caliber pistol and a Glock model 43X 9mm pistol from a Beckley business. Brack admitted that she falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing them for someone else.

Brack is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

----Mercer County woman pleads guilty to federal drug crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Denise R. Allen, 29, of Bluefield, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to court records, Allen and another individual were apprehended at a gun store in Princeton, W.Va., on Aug. 16, 2023. After their arrest, Allen and the other individual consented to a search by law enforcement officers of a truck they had rented using a stolen identity. Officers found 431 grams of methamphetamine, 21 grams of fentanyl and two Glock 9mm semiautomatic handguns during the search of the rental truck. Allen further admitted that she and the other individual possessed the methamphetamine and fentanyl and intended to distribute it.

Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at last three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

----Lincoln County man pleads guilty to federal drug crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — James Evans Hughes, 51, of Sumerco, pleaded guilty Tuesday to distribution of methamphetamine.

According to court records, Hughes sold methamphetamine on June 28, 2018, to a confidential informant in the South Charleston area of Kanawha County. Hughes admitted to that transaction and further admitted to selling methamphetamine to the confidential informant on seven other occasions between July 2018 and November 2018.

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

----Three women sentenced for roles in wire fraud conspiracy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Three Kanawha County women were sentenced Tuesday for roles in a fraudulent scheme that used personal identification information stolen through the employment of two of the women with an office cleaning service.

Brittany King, 35, of East Bank, and Tabatha Deavers, 30, of Charleston, were each sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Amy Deavers, 51, of Glasgow, the mother of Tabatha Deavers, was sentenced to six months of incarceration, which she has already served, and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Amy Deavers and Tabatha Deavers were jointly ordered to pay $4,256.06 in restitution, with additional restitution amounts for Tabatha Deavers and King to be determined.

According to court records, King and Tabatha Deavers unlawfully obtained from approximately December 2020 through at least Dec. 1, 2022, the personal identification information of multiple individuals through their employment with a business that cleaned local office spaces. King and Tabatha Deavers rerouted the mail of their identity theft victims and opened lines of credit and bank accounts and obtained loans and credit cards in the names of their identity theft victims.

From approximately December 2020 through at least Dec. 1, 2022, King and Tabatha Deavers stole money and property from individuals, companies, lenders, financial institutions and car dealerships with their scheme. King and Tabatha Deavers submitted a fraudulent change of address form to the United States Postal Service to reroute one victim's mail to their Bridge Road apartment in Charleston on June 7, 2022. Tabatha Deavers attempted to purchase a vehicle from a Charleston area car dealership using the personal identification information of another victim on Jan. 15, 2022. King fraudulently used another victim's personal identification information to purchase a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu from a Charleston business on Sept. 30, 2022.

King and Tabatha Deavers caused a loss of at least $260,239.19 to more than 10 victims as a result of their fraudulent schemes. Amy Deavers became involved in the wire fraud scheme after King and Tabatha Deavers were arrested and federally charged for their actions on Dec. 5, 2022. King and Tabatha Deavers attempted to transfer $1,000 from one of the scheme's fraudulent bank accounts to Amy Deavers on Dec. 30, 2022. This account was opened to reroute the Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits of one of the identity theft victims.

On Jan. 30, 2023, Tabatha Deavers was incarcerated at South Central Regional Jail when she spoke to Amy Deavers during a recorded jail phone call. Tabatha Deavers provided Amy Deavers with information during the call to access and transfer funds from the veteran victim's fraudulent account.

----Huntington man pleads guilty to federal gun crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Stephen Michael Wolford, 32, of Huntington, pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, a law enforcement officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on March 29, 2023, of a vehicle driven by Wolford near the intersection of 27th Street and Ninth Avenue in Huntington. Wolford fled in the vehicle, speeding in excess of 90 miles per hour before wrecking and flipping the vehicle on its roof. Wolford tried to flee on foot before he was caught and arrested.

Officers found a Smith & Wesson Model M&P .40-caliber pistol at the crash site. Wolford admitted to possessing the firearm and further admitted to bringing the firearm into a Huntington business on March 28, 2023, and showing it to a store employee while shopping for accessories for the firearm.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wolford had a prior felony conviction for grand larceny in Cabell County Circuit Court on Aug. 15, 2017.

Wolford is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

----Huntington man pleads guilty to fentanyl crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Melvin Pearson Jones, 40, of Huntington, pleaded guilty Monday to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court records, Jones sold fentanyl on Aug. 3, 2023, to a confidential informant at his Huntington apartment for $300. Jones arranged the deal with the informant beforehand. Jones sold approximately 6.11 grams of heroin and fentanyl to the informant in Huntington on Aug. 9, 2023.

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

----Huntington man pleads guilty to federal drug crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Kenard Jerlonnie Moore, also known as "Lonnie," 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty Monday to distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court records, Moore sold approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 63 grams of a substance that Moore represented was fentanyl on Sept. 28, 2023, to a confidential informant for $1,400. The transaction occurred behind Moore's 28th Street residence. Moore had arranged the transaction when the confidential informant contacted him earlier that day about purchasing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

----Princeton man pleads guilty to drug dealing in the city, while another gets 8 years

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — On Monday, Dailen Isaiah Defoe, 20, of Princeton, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and Malachi Damonte Cooper, 22, of Princeton, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court records, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Dec. 8, 2022, at a Bluefield residence where Defoe and Cooper were staying. Officers found 734 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 130 grams of fentanyl, digital scales, a money counter, a Micro Draco 7.62mm semi-automatic pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol loaded with a 30-round magazine, and over $23,000. Defoe and Cooper admitted that they possessed the controlled substances and intended to distribute them.

Defoe sold fentanyl to a confidential informant in Princeton on Aug. 19, 2021. Defoe sold additional fentanyl to the confidential informant in Princeton on Aug. 23 and Aug. 31, 2021.

On Aug. 31, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence where Defoe was staying in Princeton. Officers found approximately 375 grams of methamphetamine, 774 grams of fentanyl, 13 grams of heroin, three semi-automatic handguns, two drum magazines, various other firearm magazines and ammunition, and several thousand dollars. Defoe admitted that he possessed the controlled substances and intended to distribute them.

Defoe is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

----Huntington man pleads guilty to gun crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Stephen Dwayne Jackson, also known as "Stacks," 38, of Huntington, pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Aug. 18, 2023, at a Donald Avenue residence in Huntington. Officers encountered Jackson, who attempted to flee. Officers seized a loaded Kel-Tech P-11 9mm pistol inside the residence.

Jackson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base on Aug. 22, 2011.

Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

----"Zeke" from Detroit pleads guilty to drug crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Derek Romel Glaze, also known as "Zeke," 32, of Detroit, Mich., pleaded guilty Monday to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

According to court records, Glaze sold approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine on Dec. 1, 2022, to a confidential informant in a vehicle on the 800 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington. Glaze admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand.

Glaze further admitted to selling approximately 11 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on Nov. 30, 2022, and approximately 29.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on Jan. 17, 2023.

Law enforcement officers arrested Glaze on Feb. 7, 2023. Glaze told investigators that he received methamphetamine and fentanyl on consignment and distributed it in the Huntington area. Glaze distributed at least 20 pounds of methamphetamine during the preceding six months.

Glaze is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.