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February 18, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Morgantown Resident Enters
Guilty Pleas to Drug Charges

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A 37 year old Morgantown, West Virginia, resident entered guilty pleas on February 17, 2009, in United States District Court in Clarksburg before Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that RICARDO W. MADDOX entered guilty pleas to two counts of an Indictment charging him with distributing in excess of five grams of cocaine base on March 17, 2008, in Morgantown; and possession of firearms and ammunition on December 4, 2008, in Morgantown, after have previously been convicted of a felony. As part of the plea agreement, MADDOX agreed to the forfeiture of the following property and currency: 1) a Ruger P-90, 45 caliber pistol, serial number 66171243; 2) a North American Arms, 22 caliber revolver, serial number L0092924; 3) a Izhmash 7.62x39 semi-automatic rifle, serial number H04105095; 4) a Mountain Eagle, 22 caliber automatic pistol, serial number M69222528; 5) a Barretta 30-32 Tomcat 32 caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number DAA176969; 6) a Colt MK IV series 45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number SS08793;7) a Bryco Arms/Jennings T-380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number 1465435; 8) forty-two (42) rounds of Winchester 380 caliber ammunition; 9) twenty-two (22) rounds of Winchester 32 caliber ammunition; 10) a Tanita digital scale; 11) a H.P. Photo-Smart digital camera; and, 12) $3,037 in currency seized from defendant during his arrest and the execution of a search warrant at his residence on December 4, 2008.

MADDOX, who is in custody pending sentencing, faces a maximum penalty of five to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of $2,000,000 on the drug count and a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 on the firearms charge.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John C. Parr. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Three Rivers Drug Task Force, consisting of officers from the Fairmont Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.