Skip to main content
Press Release

Three Appear in Federal Court on Meth Charges

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

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. –  Defendants in three separate cases appeared in federal court on meth charges, said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. 

“We are prosecuting scores of meth traffickers throughout the District,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Over the past several years, we have made remarkable progress in the battle to end the chaos and destruction brought upon us by drug dealers and drug thugs. We are driven by a sense of urgency and, trust me, I not only have the backs of law enforcement but of the people of West Virginia in this righteous battle for our families and our communities.” 

Walter Ray Cavender, age 50, of Leon, Mason County, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Cavender previously admitted that on May 16, 2018, officers served a search warrant at his home on Evans Road in Leon. At the time they served the search warrant, Cavender had approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine in his home which he intended to sell. He also had digital scales and approximately $1300 in cash.  The Mason County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation.   Assistant United States Attorney Greg McVey handled the prosecution.

Johnny Belcher, Jr., 35, of Huntington, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Belcher previously admitted that on July 17, 2019, an  officer found approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine in his pockets.  Belcher told the officers the substance was “ice.”  The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation.    Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor handled the prosecution.

Charles Vincent Hively, Jr., 46, of Charleston pled guilty for his role in a conspiracy that involved large quantities of methamphetamine that were transported from Akron and sold in West Virginia.  Hively pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Hively admitted that, on June 7, 2019, officers came to his residence at 1195 Livingston Avenue in Charleston to execute a warrant that had been issued for his arrest.  When officers knocked on the door, they saw Hively look out the window and run to the rear of the residence.  Hively then threw a cigarette box from a rear window.  When officers recovered the box, they discovered that it contained approximately 24 grams of methamphetamine.  Officers also recovered additional methamphetamine from inside the residence and Hively admitted that he intended to distribute the drugs.  As part of his plea, Hively admitted that he was responsible for distributing up to 200 grams of methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia.    Hively faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 27, 2020.  This joint investigation was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Other agencies which participated and assisted in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Ona Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Akron, Ohio Police Department, and the Brecksville, Ohio Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearings.

 

Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
 
 

###
 

Updated January 21, 2020

Topic
Drug Trafficking