FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2012
DETROIT COUPLE PLEAD GUILTY TO HEROIN AND OXYCODONE CONSPIRACY
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Walter Vinson Respress also known as “Dump,” 41, and Carolyn Denise Tomkins-Calhoun also known as “Auntie,” 39, both of Detroit, pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to distribute heroin and oxymorphone charges. Respress admitted that from December 2011 until October 20, 2011, he conspired with other known individuals to sell heroin and oxymorphone in the Huntington area. Respress further admitted that he used a residence located on 5th Avenue in Huntington to store heroin and oxymorphone pills. Co-defendant Tompkins-Calhoun admitted that she assisted Respress in the sale of pills and heroin and in collecting money for the drugs.
Law enforcement officers searched the residence occupied by both defendants and subsequently found 147 40-milligram oxymorphone pills, 84 30-milligram oxymorphone pills, and 18 20-milligram oxymorphone pills.
Respress also admitted that he was responsible for bringing approximately 60 grams of heroin for resale to the Huntington area.
Respress and Tomkins-Calhoun both face up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when they are sentenced on September 4, 2012 by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case was prosecuted 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. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by various federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, remain committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory McVey is in charge of the prosecution.
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