Former Virginia Beach Probation Officer and Husband Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 05, 2013 |
NORFOLK, VA—Charles M. Kephart, 43, of Norfolk, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice.”
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr.
Charles Kephart was indicted by a federal grand jury in Norfolk on May 23, 2013. His wife, Katherine M. Kepart, a former Virginia Beach state probation officer, waived indictment and pled guilty to the conspiracy on August 13, 2013. Both are facing a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Katherine Kephart is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2013. Charles Kephart is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2013.
According to court documents, the Kepharts regularly used methamphetamine and associated with known methamphetamine traffickers. In November 2012, law enforcement authorities received information that Kephart and his wife were obtaining quantities of methamphetamine from sources in the Asheville, North Carolina area and trafficking in the Eastern District of Virginia. On February 28, 2013, Charles Kephart was arrested during a controlled sale with an undercover police officer. FBI Norfolk then executed a federal search warrant on the Kepharts’ residence in Norfolk. The search yielded drug paraphernalia. Katherine, who at the time was employed by the Virginia Beach Probation Office, utilized the facilities of her office by “running” names and license plates of prospective conspirators to determine whether they might be under court supervision or whether they were working for law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.