Ten Individuals Sentenced on Methamphetamine Charges

ELKINS, WV—Ten individuals were sentenced by Chief Judge John Preston Bailey on methamphetamine-related drug charges.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced that:

KEVIN LEE GREGORY, age 43, of Cleveland, West Virginia, was sentenced to 157 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of pseudoephedrine to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $1,440 in U.S. currency, three cell phones, surveillance equipment, and a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. GREGORY was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals pending designation to a Federal institution. This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police, the United States Marshals Service, and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office.

Elkins residents MICHAEL WAYNE JOHNSON, age 32, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release; NICOLE ROSELLA SPOR, age 37, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release; and EILEEN MICHAEL DESHAYES, age 28, was sentenced to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of pseudoephedrine to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. JOHNSON and SPOR were remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals pending designation to a federal institution. DESHAYES, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated federal institution. This case was investigated by the Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Forest Service, Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, Tucker County Sheriff’s Department, and the DEA.

ERIC SCOTT PENNINGTON, age 30, of Parsons, West Virginia, was sentenced to 97 months in prison and three years of supervised release; MICHAEL LUTHER WHITE, age 22 of Thomas, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release; and MISTY AUTUMN GRAFTON, age 26, of Hambleton, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years’ probation for possession of pseudoephedrine to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. PENNINGTON was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals pending designation to a federal institution, and WHITE, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated federal institution. This case was investigated by the Tucker County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Forest Service, and the West Virginia State Police.

RONNIE GERALD BELT, age 52, of Camden on Gauley, West Virginia, was sentenced to 97 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of material to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. BELT was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals pending designation to a Federal Institution. This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police.

TIMOTHY ALLEN HAWKS, age 20, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of material to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.. HAWKS was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals pending designation to a federal institution. This case was investigated by the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation,  the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI); the Grant County Sheriff’s Office; the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office; and the Moorefield Police Department.

MATTHEW PAU.S.LLERS, age 25, of Annapolis, Maryland, was sentenced to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of pseudoephedrine to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. SELLERS, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated federal institution. This case was investigated by the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner.

In other cases before Judge Bailey:

DONNA STURM, age 32, of Belington, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for distribution of marijuana and felon in possession of a firearm. STURM, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated federal institution. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police.

KENNETH RAY ANDERSON, age 40, of Cleveland, West Virginia, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm with a shortened barrel. ANDERSON, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated federal institution.

BENJAMIN MCWILLIAMS, age 39, of Beverly, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for embezzlement. MCWILLIAMS embezzled from his employee’s pension benefit fund while he was owner and operator of McWilliams Masonry. The court ordered MCWILLIAMS to make restitution in the amount of $149,101 to his employee’s pension benefit plan as well as the forfeiture of a $90,000 money judgment. This case was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar and was investigated by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the West Virginia Insurance Commission Office of Inspector General.

In a hearing before Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull:

BARBARA ANN SPIVA, age 47, of Elkins, entered a plea of guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premise from the fall of 2012 to December 29, 2012, in Randolph County for the purpose of manufacturing, storing, distributing, and using methamphetamine. SPIVA, who is in custody pending sentencing faces up to 20 years in prison. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner and investigated by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.