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August 31, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Four Individuals Sentenced on
“Crack” Cocaine Charges

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Four defendants who were members of a “crack” cocaine distribution ring in Morgantown, West Virginia, were sentenced on August 27, 2010, in United States District Court in Clarksburg by Judge Irene M. Keeley.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced that:

NASHUAN “CITY” JACKSON, age 25, of Morgantown, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. JACKSON entered a plea of guilty on April 22, 2010, to one count of distribution of “crack” cocaine on October 2, 2008, in Marjorie Gardens. JACKSON, who is free on bond, will self-report to a designated federal institution.

MICHAEL “MIKE-MIKE” JONES, age 25, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release. JONES entered a plea of guilty on April 22, 2010, to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than five grams of “crack” cocaine in March of 2009. JONES was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.

QUASHAWN “QUAY” PREISTER, age 22, of Uniontown, was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. PREISTER entered a plea of guilty on April 21, 2010, to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine on October 10, 2008, in Morgantown, after he was apprehended by the Morgantown Police Department following a street fight and found to be in possession of 4.7 grams of “crack” cocaine in 20 individually wrapped bags. As part of his plea, PREISTER has admitted to his involvement in the distribution of at least 50 grams of crack cocaine. PREISTER was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.

BILLY JOE LOVERIDGE, age 31, of Morgantown, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. LOVERIDGE entered a plea of guilty on April 26, 2010, to one count of distribution of “crack” cocaine on September 8, 2008, in Marjorie Gardens. LOVERIDGE will begin serving his federal sentence after he completes the state sentences he is currently serving.

The year-long investigation from the Fall of 2008 to the Fall of 2009 was the result of the joint efforts of the West Virginia State Police, Mon Valley Drug Task Force (consisting of officers from the Morgantown Police Department and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. While the group distributed “crack” cocaine throughout Morgantown, they centered the operation in the Marjorie Garden area and evidence revealed at hearings indicated that the group, as a whole, was responsible for distributing more than a pound of “crack” cocaine.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John C. Parr.