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Press Release

Huntington man fifth to plead guilty for role in drug ring

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

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who helped lead a multistate drug ring pleaded guilty today to a federal crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Corey Bruce Toney, 27, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin. 

On September 29, 2016, a confidential informant working at the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration contacted Toney to arrange for the purchase of heroin. Toney agreed to meet the informant, who was accompanied by undercover agents. Toney admitted that he subsequently distributed 10 grams of heroin to the informant in exchange for $1,250. Agents were also able to make numerous additional controlled purchases of heroin from Toney and others during the course of the investigation. 

Toney also admitted that from the summer of 2014 to May 2016, he conspired with others to distribute large quantities of drugs in the Huntington and Charleston areas, including heroin, crack, marijuana, and alprazolam pills, commonly known as Xanax. Toney further admitted that he maintained a leadership role in the conspiracy, and that he possessed a number of firearms during the conspiracy.

Toney faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 9, 2017.

These prosecutions arose out of a long-term investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the West Virginia State Police, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, which resulted in charging 12 defendants for offenses related to the distribution of heroin, crack, marijuana and alprazolam in Huntington. 

Four defendants have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this drug ring. Matthew Michael Meadows, Arthur James Canada, Tanisha Lynette Wooding, and Parker Wyatt Mays have all pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and are awaiting sentencing. All of the other defendants charged in the prosecution of this drug ring are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is in charge of the prosecutions. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. 

These cases are being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District. 

Updated September 19, 2016

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Prescription Drugs