Three Individuals Indicted On Crack Cocaine Charges

1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Chris Zumpetta-Parr, Public Affairs Specialist

MARTINSBURG, WV – Three individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury on crack cocaine charges, according to United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II.

JAMES WILLARD JOHNSON a/k/a BUM, age 38, of Martinsburg; EDDIE YOUNG, III a/k/a BOBO, age 39, of Martinsburg; and, NAVARRE SOWELL, age 37, of Hagerstown, Maryland, were named in an eight-count Indictment charging them with “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute More than 28 Grams of Crack Cocaine.”

JOHNSON is named in seven additional counts charging him with five counts of “Distribution of Crack Cocaine” and two counts of “Distribution of More than 28 Grams of Crack Cocaine” and “Distribution of Crack Cocaine,” and YOUNG is named in an additional count of “Distribution of Crack Cocaine.”

The defendants each face up to forty years in prison on the conspiracy and distribution of more than 28 grams of crack cocaine charges and up to twenty years in prison on each of the distribution charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also seeking to forfeit currency which was seized from defendants on June 13, 2013.

This case was investigated by the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the West Virginia State Police - Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

In addition, the following indictments were also returned:

GWEN MICHELLE LITTEN, age 32, of Keaneysville, West Virginia, was named in a five-count Indictment charging her with two counts “Theft of Government Money”; one count “Social Security Representative Payee Fraud,” and two counts of “False Statement for Use in Determining Survivor’s Benefits.” The U.S. Attorney’s office is also seeking to forfeit $10,853 which constitutes proceeds derived from the charges.

RAHEEM SELFALLAH UQDAH a/k/a ARTHUR EDWARD FRANKS, JR., age 66, of Martinsburg, was named in a two-count Indictment charging him with two counts “Theft of Government Money”; and “False Statement for Use in Determining Social Security Benefits.” The U.S. Attorney’s office is also seeking to forfeit $15,835 which constitutes proceeds derived from the charges.

The LITTEN and UQDAH cases were investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.

The JOHNSON, LITTEN and UQDAH cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jarod J. Douglas.

VICTOR ROBERTO ESTANGLE-FLORES, age 34, an inmate at USP Hazelton was named in a two-count Indictment charging him with “Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm,” and “Possession of a Prohibited Object.” ESTANGLE-FLORES faces up to ten years in prison on the assault charge and five years in prison on the possession charge. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Flower and was investigated by the Special Investigative Services Unit at USP Hazelton.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.