Four Sentenced For Sale Of Heroin In Morgantown

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CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four members of a Morgantown heroin distribution ring, including three men from Detroit, were sentenced to federal prison.

According to United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, the following individuals had prison sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Irene Keeley for their roles in the trafficking of heroin:

- SEAN MILLER PHILLIPS, JR., age 31, of Eastpoint, Michigan was sentenced to 63 months in prison and six years of supervised release for “Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of Heroin within 1000 feet of a Protected Location.”

- JAMILA MCLAUGHRY, age 25, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and six years of supervised release for “Distribution of Heroin within 1,000 Feet of the North Elementary School” in Monongalia County.

- EDDIE PICKETT, age 20, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.”
- WILLIAM ANDERSON, age 20, of Detroit, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.”

The case was investigated by the Mon Valley Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the Morgantown Police Department, the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In other sentencing hearings before Judge Keeley, Ihlenfeld said that FRANKLIN MOORE, age 43, of Procious, West Virginia, was sentenced to 92 months in prison and three years of supervised release as a result of his conviction of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.” MOORE was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation to a Federal institution. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

SPAYNE SWINDLE, age 19, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and six years of supervised release for “Distribution of Cocaine within 1,000 Feet of the Pierpont Community and Technical College.” The Court also ordered the forfeiture of $1,968 in U.S. currency and four cellular telephones seized from SWINDLE. SWINDLE was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation to a Federal institution. The case was investigated by the Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

AARON MONTREAL RIGGIN, age 37, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release for “Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone” in Morgantown, WV, between September of 2011 to April 21, 2012. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of $10,000 seized from RIGGIN. This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

JOHN CHAMBERS, age 62, of Clarksburg, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and six years of supervised release for “Possession of Child Pornography.”

SASHA PEGGUES, age 28, of Morgantown, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and five years of supervised release for “Aggravated Identity Theft.” PEGGUES forged checks belonging to an elderly man for whom she was providing care-giving services for her personal use. The Court also ordered PEGGUES to make restitution in the amount of $27,960.90. PEGGUES was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation to a Federal institution. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Morgantown Police Department.

Judge Keeley also took several guilty pleas, according to Ihlenfeld, as follows:

MATTHEW VANHORN, 27, and MEGAN COUNTS, age 24, of Stonewood, West Virginia, entered pleas of guilty to “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin within 1,000 Feet of the Stonewood City Park.” CHARLES COUNTS, age 42 and ONDREA KATHERINE COUNTS, age 41, of Stonewood, entered pleas of guilty to “Distribution of MDMA (Ecstasy) within 1,000 Feet of Oakmound Apartments,” and MARY WILCOX, age 43, of Stonewood; entered a plea of guilty to “Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premise.” VANHORN, who is in custody pending sentencing, and MEGAN COUNTS, CHARLES COUNTS and ONDREA COUNTS, who are free on bond pending sentencing, face up to 40 years in prison. WILCOX, who is in custody sentencing, faces up to 20 years in prison.

EVAN MICHAEL SHAW, age 22, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, entered a plea of guilty to “Distribution of Buprenorphine within 1,000 Feet of West Virginia Junior College.” As part of his plea, SHAW will forfeit $906 in United States currency which constitutes proceeds obtained from the illegal activity. SHAW, who is free on bond, faces up to 20 years in prison.

The VANHORN and SHAW cases were investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

The cases referenced herein were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn Morgan, Zelda Wesley, and Andrew Cogar.