Four Portsmouth Residents Charged in Methylone Importation and Distribution Conspiracy

NORFOLK, Va. – Timothy S. Moore, Jr., 27, Caroline E. Taylor, 24, Angelia Walke, 44, and Brett C. Walsh, 22, all of Portsmouth, Va., were indicted by a federal grand jury today for conspiring to import Methylone into the United States and distribute it in the Eastern District of Virginia.   

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John P. Torres, Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C.; Keith A. Fixel, Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Chief Edward Hargis of the Portsmouth Police Department, made the announcement after the indictment was returned. 

All four Portsmouth residents were indicted for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute Methylone, a Schedule I controlled substance, which Moore, Taylor and Walke had been importing from China since early August, 2012. In addition, Taylor, Moore, and Walke were charged with conspiracy to import the Methylone and the use of a communication facility to commit the importation.  Taylor and Moore are also charged with an additional count of possessing approximately one and a half kilograms of Methylone on October 24, 2012, with the intent to distribute it.  Walsh was charged in a separated count with possessing over 86 grams of Methylone on October 7, 2012, with the intent to distribute it.   The drugs charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, while the communication facility charge carries a maximum of four years in the prison, if convicted.  

            According to the indictment and other court records, Moore and Taylor had allegedly been ordering Methylone from a Chinese laboratory over the internet since August 2012.  Walke allegedly was receiving the international packages at a separate location for Moore and Taylor to pick-up.  Once the drugs reached Taylor and Moore, it is alleged that they wholesaled the Methylone to Walsh for redistribution. The Portsmouth residents were identified as part of an investigation conducted by the Portsmouth Police Department, HSI, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, related to the importation of Methylone into the Hampton Roads area.    

This case was investigated by HSI’s Hampton Roads Border Enforcement Security Task Force (HR-BEST), the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Portsmouth Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Amy E. Cross is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

            Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

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