MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A heroin distribution network stretching from Baltimore to West Virginia’s eastern panhandle was disrupted by 39 arrests after a 163-count federal indictment.
In all, 41 people face charges. U.S. Attorney Bill Ihlenfeld announced at a Tuesday news conference in Martinsburg that 34 of the suspects in custody are from West Virginia, a majority of those from the panhandle.
The alleged ringleader, 27-year-old Brian Hall of Baltimore, was expected to be taken into custody Wednesday. Authorities allege Hall ran a drug ring that saw dealers picking up heroin in Baltimore and bringing more than two kilograms a month into West Virginia over the one-year period of the investigation.
Ihlenfeld said the probe was an important part of pushing back against the tide of heroin.
“Today’s arrests are just one element in a continuing effort to combat the epidemic of drug abuse in our region,” Ihlenfeld said. “It is particularly troubling when drug dealers send their product across state lines and target vulnerable populations for purely economic gain. Federal and local law enforcement officers from multiple jurisdictions leveraged cutting-edge surveillance techniques to conduct a sophisticated and expedient investigation in this case, and I commend them for their efforts.”
Members of Berkeley and Jefferson County’s Sheriff’s offices, Martinsburg city police, the FBI and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crime Task Force were on hand Tuesday to announce the arrests.
Those arrested Wednesday included:
– Jared Michael Belanger, 35, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Lindsay Bohrer, 37, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
– Shawn Blain Bowers, 36, of Braddock Heights, Maryland
– Theresa Brewer, 61, of Braddock Heights, Maryland
– Kenneth Bryan Crowley, 38, of Rockville, Maryland
– James R. Dove, 30, of Keyser, West Virginia
– Veronica Gladden, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Harmony Hahn, 31, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Bonnie Hanna, 34, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– James Francis Hansen, Jr., 48, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
– Javier Lewis Howard, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– James Miner Jenkins, 36, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Jessica Kesecker, 33, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
– Brandon Kidwell, 23, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
– Darla Kinser, 29, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Edward Lee Knotts, a.k.a. “Eddie,” 32, of Ranson, West Virginia
– Jeffery David Murphy, a.k.a. “J.D.,” 34, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Brandon Lee Odell, 32, of Inwood, West Virginia
– Scott Andrew Ours, a.k.a. “D,” 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Melissa Portrey, a.k.a. “Missy,” 47, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
– Josh Reid, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Craig Rhodes, 46, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
– Cassandra Elaine Riggs, a.k.a “Casey Braithwaite,” 25, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– James Michael Ross, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Cortney Blaire Saylor, a.k.a “C,” 29, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Megan Saylor, 32, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Robert Hamilton Shanley-Sexton, a.k.a. “Robbie,” 23, of Gaithersburg, Maryland
– Frederick Smitherman, a.k.a. “Freddy,” 36, of Inwood, West Virginia
– William Thomas Stine, a.k.a. “Tom,” 39, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Cameron Steinbaugh, 28, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
– Teddy Edward Threadgill, 46, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
– Veronica Thomas, 24, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
– Bruce Morton Vaudrien, Jr., 45, of Kearneysville, West Virginia
– Michelle Lynn Warnick, 32, of Kearneysville, West Virginia
– William Lee Wasson, a.k.a. “Bill,” 38, of Falling Waters, West Virginia
– Sarah Marie Weant, 26, of Kearneysville, West Virginia
Two defendants are currently in state custody, including:
– Clinton Dunlap, a.k.a. “K.D.,” 31, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– Steward Eugene Whitehead, Jr., a.k.a. “Geno,” 29, of Inwood, West Virginia
Several individuals have not yet been located, including:
– Roma Michelle Bland, 37, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
– James Wesley Faircloth, 34, of Martinsburg, West Virginia