Bank Employee Indicted for Embezzlement of Nearly $250,000
Nine Others Indicted by Federal Grand Jury

CLARKSBURG, WV—United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that Deborah D. Radcliff, age 41, of Weston, West Virginia, was named in an eight-count Indictment charging her with one count of embezzlement by a bank employee and seven counts of structuring.

According to the indictment, while serving as the branch manager of the Weston branch bank of Huntington National Bank from July 1, 2011 to November 5, 2012, Radcliff embezzled and misapplied $247,249.88 from depositors’ accounts and engaged in acts of structuring to cause the bank to fail to file a currency transaction report for currency transactions of $10,000 or more. To execute the scheme, Radcliff utilized her position as branch manager to issue or direct to be issued cashier’s checks from funds withdrawn from depositors’ accounts issued in the name of the depositor. Radcliff would take possession of the cashier’s check, forge the name of the depositor, and cash the checks for her own personal benefit. The ages of the alleged victims ranged from 56 to 90 years, with all but one alleged victim 64 years or older.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of a money judgment of the $247,249.88. If convicted, Radcliff faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine on the embezzlement count and up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a $500,000 fine on each of the structuring counts. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John C. Parr and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Other indictments returned by the grand jury include:

Duane McAtee, age 43, of Metz, West Virginia, was named in a one-count indictment charging him with contempt of court. The indictment alleges that on April 2, 2013, McAtee disobeyed a lawful process of a court by failing to appear as directed. If convicted, McAtee faces up to six months’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI.

Jose Deleon Hernandez was named in a one-count indictment charging him with iIllegal reentry after removal.” If convicted, Hernandez faces up to two years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI).

These two cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul T. Camilletti.

Brian Farley, age 30, of Oceana, West Virginia, was named in a 14-count indictment charging him with six counts of obtaining drugs by fraud and eight counts of making a material false statement. If convicted, Farley faces up to four years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the fraud charges and up to five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the false statement charges. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. and was investigated by the U.S. Deparmtent of Veterans’ Affairs/Office of Inspector General-Criminal Investigations Division.

Edward C. Crow, age 43, a former inmate at USP Hazelton, was indicted for multiple counts of possession of a prohibited object; assaulting, resisting, and impeding officers; and assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. If convicted, Crow faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Flower and was investigated by the Special Investigative Services Staff at USP Hazelton.

Shane O. Brantley, age 36, of Sutton, West Virginia, was named in a one-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm” on April 25, 2012, in Braxton County. If convicted, Brantley faces a maximum exposure of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

Ronald M. Starkey, age 27, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was named in a one-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm” on May 24, 2011, in Morgantown. If convicted, Starkey faces a maximum exposure of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

These two cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Christopher Weaver, age 36, of Morgantown, was named in a three-count indictment charging him with one count of distribution of crack cocaine and two counts of distribution of cocaine hydrochloride. If convicted, Weaver faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine on each count. This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

Welford Lee Harris, age 27 and Casey Smith, age 20, of Morgantown, were named in an eight-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute oxycodone and multiple counts of distribution of oxycodone, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride. If convicted, Harris and Smith face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine on each count. This case was investigated by the Mon Valley Drug Task Force and the West Virginia State Police. The task force consists of officers from Morgantown Police Department, the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

These four cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zelda E. Wesley.

All of the charges contained in the above-referenced indictments are merely accusations and not evidence of guilt, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.