CHARLESTON, W.Va. –  Three felons appeared before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin this week in connection with federal gun crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.

Dana Stevenson, 28, of Charleston, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Stevenson previously admitted that on August 14, 2017, Charleston Police Department officers were searching for a suspect that was seen driving a stolen vehicle.  Officers saw Stevenson walking by the Kanawha River.  As officers approached, Stevenson threw a firearm into the river.  The Charleston Police Department Dive Team later recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol from the river.  Stevenson was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of a 2014 felony malicious wounding conviction in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.

In another case, Clayton Cato, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Cato admitted that on November 20, 2018 he was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on the East End of Charleston for a defective light. Upon officers approaching the vehicle, they smelled marijuana. All occupants were asked to step out of the vehicle. Cato stepped out of the vehicle and ran from the traffic stop on foot. While fleeing, he put his hands near his hoody pocket and was apprehended. During a pat-down for officer safety, officers located a Smith & Wesson 32 caliber pistol. Cato admitted he knew he had a 2003 felony conviction in the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution of cocaine base.  Cato faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 27, 2020.  Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigations of Stevenson and Cato. 

Gary Scott, 35, of St. Albans, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.   Scott previously admitted that on April 23, 2019, in St. Albans, he was driving a vehicle while under the influence of narcotics. He eventually parked at a Go-Mart, got out of the vehicle, and left the passenger in the vehicle. Officers eventually located Scott in the alley near the Go-Mart. Scott admitted to the officers that he had marijuana on his person. Officers searched him and found syringes, marijuana, Alprazolam, heroin, and methamphetamine. Officers detained Scott and transported him back to his vehicle. As they pulled up to the vehicle, Scott told the officers that he had a firearm in the glove box and that he knew that he was not allowed to possess firearms because he is a convicted felon. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a .357 Braztech revolver loaded with five rounds in the glove box. They also located a box of ammunition in the vehicle.   The St. Albans Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution.

These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Charleston man, Dana Stevenson, 28, plead guilty today for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.

On August 14, 2017, Charleston Police Department officers were searching for a suspect that was seen driving a stolen vehicle.  Officers saw Stevenson walking by the Kanawha River.  As officers approached, Stevenson threw a firearm into the river.  The Charleston Police Department Dive Team later recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol from the river.  Stevenson was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of a 2014 felony malicious wounding conviction in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

Stevenson faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on November 4, 2019.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.  United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man caught selling heroin within 1000 feet of Stonewall Jackson Middle School and possessing a firearm in January 2017 was sentenced today to 48 months in prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Stuart commended the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.

“A parent’s worst nightmare,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “We will not tolerate gun-toting drug dealers peddling their poisons near our schools.  We are working every day to lock up drug dealers like Stevenson.”

On January 4, 2017, agents with the ATF and the Charleston Police Department Special Enforcement Unit used a confidential informant to make a controlled buy of heroin from Dana Stevenson.  The buy occurred in the vicinity of the Kentucky Fried Chicken near Washington Street in Charleston.  The location was within 1000 feet of Stonewall Jackson Middle School.  The defendant provided the informant with suspected heroin.

On January 18, 2017, officers conducted a search warrant at Stevenson’s residence and recovered a Glock .40 caliber firearm.  Stevenson was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because he had been convicted in 2014 in Kanawha County, West Virginia for wanton endangerment.

Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.  United States District Judge Goodwin imposed the sentence.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

 

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man caught selling heroin in January 2017 pled guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Dana Stevenson, 27, entered his guilty plea to an indictment charging him with distribution of heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“It’s Groundhog Day all over again,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “We wake up and issue a press release about a felon with a firearm.  But this isn’t Groundhog Day, it’s just another felon with a firearm who also deals drugs.”

On January 4, 2017, agents with the ATF and the Charleston Police Department Special Enforcement Unit used a confidential informant to make a controlled buy of heroin from the defendant.  The buy occurred in the vicinity of the Kentucky Fried Chicken near Washington Street in Charleston.  The defendant provided the informant with suspected heroin.

Stevenson also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.  On January 18, 2017, officers conducted a search warrant at his residence and recovered a Glock .40 caliber firearm.  Stevenson was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because he had been convicted in 2014 in Kanawha County, West Virginia for wanton endangerment.

Stevenson faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on September 6, 2018.

The plea hearing was held before Judge Goodwin.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor prosecuted the case.

The drug prosecution is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

 

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two defendants appeared in federal court today for heroin crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Gerald Tyrone King, 38, of White Sulphur Springs, previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin and was sentenced in federal court in Beckley to a year and nine months in prison. In a separate prosecution, Dana Stevenson, 26, of Charleston, pleaded guilty in federal court in Charleston to distribution of heroin.

 

King admitted that on May 27, 2016, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place in White Sulphur Springs. At sentencing it was determined that King had distributed additional quantities of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. 

 

In a separate prosecution, Stevenson admitted that on December 14, 2016, he sold heroin to a confidential informant cooperating with police officers. The controlled buy occurred in the area of Garvin Avenue and Washington Street, West in Charleston. Stevenson additionally admitted that in January 2017, he possessed firearms, sold a shotgun, and distributed narcotics on multiple occasions. Stevenson faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 18, 2018.

 

The Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation of King. Assistant United States Attorney John File is handling the King prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed King’s sentence. The Special Enforcement Unit of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation of Stevenson. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is in charge of Stevenson’s prosecution. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston is presiding over the Stevenson case.

 

The King case was prosecuted under the Greenbrier Valley Heroin and Pill Initiative. Stevenson’s case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime.

 

Both cases were brought as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

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