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Press Release

Eight sentenced for heroin, cocaine trafficking

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of West Virginia

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eight individuals were sentenced in federal court in Martinsburg for heroin and cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Six individuals were sentenced for their role in a multi-state heroin trafficking operation led by Brian Alexander Hall, 28, of Baltimore, Maryland. Hall orchestrated a network of associates to transport heroin across state lines for redistribution and sale in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. A 163-count federal indictment targeting 41 defendants interrupted the drug trafficking scheme in June 2015.

Jefferey David Murphy, 34, of Martinsburg, pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Use of a Telephone to Facilitate the Distribution of Heroin,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin.” He was sentenced to 48 months in prison on the telephone charge and 51 months in prison on each of the remaining charges. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 51 months in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit his interest in $29,850 in United States currency.

William Lee Wasson, 38, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, pled guilty in September 2015 to one count of “Use of a Telephone to Facilitate the Distribution of Heroin,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin.” He was sentenced to 36 months in prison on each count. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 36 months in prison.

Brandon Kidwell, 24, of Great Cacapon, West Virginia, pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering.” He was sentenced to 24 months in prison.

Robert Hamilton Shanley-Sexton, 24, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, pled guilty in September 2015 to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin.” He was sentenced to twelve months and one day in prison.

Cameron Stinebaugh, 28, of Great Cacapon, West Virginia, pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering.” He was sentenced to probation for a term of five years.

Jared Michael Belanger, 36, of Martinsburg, pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering.” He was ordered to forfeit his interest in $8,500 in United States currency and sentenced to probation for a term of five years.

In another matter, Ariana Shanae Parker, 24, of District Heights, Maryland, and Theron Eugene Cobb, 32, of Miami, Florida, were sentenced for heroin and cocaine trafficking.

Cobb was as discovered in possession of cocaine in Berkeley County. He pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.” He was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

Parker sold heroin in Berkeley County, West Virginia. She pled guilty in November 2015 to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin.” She was sentenced to probation for a term of three years.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Taylor, also of the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, prosecuted Parker and Cobb on behalf of the government. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Paul Camilletti prosecuted the remaining defendants on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated all of the defendants. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also investigated the multi-state heroin trafficking network.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

Updated March 15, 2016

Topic
Drug Trafficking