FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 21, 2012
BECKLEY JURY CONVICTS MAN OF BATH SALTS BURGLARY OF FEDERAL POST OFFICE
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that a Raleigh County man was convicted today by a jury sitting in Beckley for burglary of a federal post office. Trial evidence revealed that defendant, Timothy Taylor, 31, forcibly broke into or aided and abetted co-defendant Benjamin J. Webb in the forcible break-in of a federal post office located in Fairdale, W.Va.
Trial evidence further revealed that on October 30, 2011, Taylor and Webb were driven to the Fairdale Post Office by a known individual and gained entry into the facility by smashing a glass door using a sledgehammer. The post office was closed at the time the burglary occurred. Evidence also revealed that while Taylor and Webb were inside of the post office, they stole nine packages containing quantities of prohibited synthetic stimulants commonly known as “bath salts” and fled the scene.
Benjamin J. Webb, 39, of Beckley, previously pleaded guilty in May to burglary and aiding and abetting the burglary of a federal post office. Webb admitted that packages stolen from the Fairdale Post Office on October 30, 2011 were addressed to him and contained quantities of bath salts.
Taylor faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on January 10, 2013 by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
Webb faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on August 30, 2012.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Larry Ellis handled the prosecution.
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