24 Charged in West Virginia Meth Ring, Guns Seized

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA — A sprawling methamphetamine distribution network has been ripped apart by federal authorities, with twenty-four individuals now facing charges tied to drug trafficking and illegal firearms across North Central West Virginia and Virginia. The indictments, unsealed today, expose a tightly woven criminal enterprise that flooded small communities with meth while stockpiling weapons like an arsenal.

Those charged in the meth conspiracy include Shawn Michael Moser, 27, of Elkins, West Virginia; Jerry Wilson Hartley, 35, of Elkins; Kayleigh Marre Hartley, 29, of Elkins; Robert Lewis Jones, 54, of Waynesboro, Virginia; Richard Wayne Scott, 40, of Waynesboro; Joseph Muster, 28, of Elkins; Samantha Canfield, 28, of Montrose, West Virginia; Christina Crites, 46, of Elkins; Calvin Norris Herron, Jr., 43, of Belington, West Virginia; Gerald Allen Freeman, 41, of Moatsville; Jeffrey Everson, 28, of Philippi; Allen White, 37, of Buckhannon; Jason Randall Howard, 37, of Elkins; Brian Scott Mayle, 37, of Coalton; Geniece Pancake, 36, of Belington; Tyler Robinson, 20, of Belington; Ronald G. Swiger, 36, of Coalton; Trey M. Plaugher, 21, of Elkins; David A. Maxwell, 31, of Elkins; and Derek Scott Norris, 36, of Philippi. Each faces federal charges for their alleged roles in distributing meth across state lines.

Dale Lee Sharp, 45, of Elkins, was separately indicted and arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. Three other individuals facing firearms charges remain at large, their indictments still under seal. The investigation, led by the Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, culminated in a sweeping, multi-agency takedown operation that saw dozens of suspects apprehended in predawn raids across multiple counties.

Authorities seized hundreds of firearms and massive quantities of methamphetamine—quantities described by law enforcement as ‘staggering.’ The operation spanned Randolph, Tucker, and Barbour counties in West Virginia, with supply lines reaching deep into Virginia. Federal agents say the ring operated with military precision, using encrypted communication and surveillance to avoid detection while terrorizing neighborhoods with violence and addiction.

‘This case is a great example of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies coming together to address a significant methamphetamine threat that was tearing apart a small community,’ said Karl Colder, DEA Special Agent in Charge. ‘The quantity of drugs distributed and amount of guns seized is staggering.’ He credited collaboration with the ATF, West Virginia State Police, and multiple county sheriffs’ offices for dismantling the network.

‘The defendants represent a significant number of Federal firearms violations including armed drug trafficking and prohibited persons possessing firearms,’ said Stuart L. Lowrey, ATF Special Agent in Charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the cases. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force—composed of the DEA, ATF, U.S. Forest Service, West Virginia State Police, and local sheriffs—led the investigation, with arrest support from the U.S. Marshals Service and Elkins Police. The National Guard Armory provided operational space for coordination.

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