CLARKSBURG, W. Va. — The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia has appointed an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Harrison County to also serve as a federal prosecutor.
Shawn Adkins was named a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and will primarily focus on cases in Harrison County, with an emphasis on drug trafficking and violent crimes.
“We are thrilled to have Shawn Adkins designated as a federal prosecutor,” U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld said. “We are confident that he will leverage his significant criminal prosecution experience to strategically address crime and promote safety in Harrison County.
Ihlenfeld and Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Shaffer both agreed this was a great opportunity to collaborate and strengthen law enforcement efforts on both a federal and county level.
“The dual role of Shawn Adkins as Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Harrison County and Special Assistant United States Attorney will serve as a working bridge between our agencies,” Shaffer said. “The entire state and federal law enforcement community will benefit from our two agencies taking the lead in cooperating, on an even greater level, in the fight against crime in the area.
“Given the current climate of the illicit drug market in our area, it is more important than ever that state and federal law enforcement, on every level, work together for the betterment of public safety and in the best interest of justice” he continued. “Mr. Adkins will represent our constituents professionally and capably.”
Adkins graduated from Marshall University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and earned a J.D. from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2011.