Heroin Kingpin Cheatham Gets Two Years in Prison

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The grimy streets of Huntington were hit with a major blow as Jimmy Cheatham, better known as ‘Shoe,’ received a two-year and three-month federal prison sentence for his involvement in the 2015 and 2016 heroin trafficking ring.

United States Attorney Carol Casto announced the severe penalty after Cheatham, 24, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin. The sentencing comes as part of a relentless effort by federal authorities to crack down on the illicit drug trade that plagues West Virginia communities.

Cheatham’s downfall began on August 16, 2016, when he was arrested on an active federal warrant for conspiracy to distribute heroin. A subsequent search turned up six grams of heroin hidden on his person and nearly $1,800 in cash, believed to be profits from the deadly drug trade.

The investigation had started earlier that year, in August 2015, when Cheatham sold over 16 grams of heroin to an informant working with the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force. The exchange took place at a residential address on Old 16th Street Road, where $2,000 changed hands for the illegal substance.

Just days before, on July 9, 2015, agents conducted a search at 126 Olive Street in Huntington and uncovered a cache of cash—$6,314—and an AR-15 style firearm hidden away in the attic. Cheatham and two other conspirators were present during the search.

The Huntington FBI Drug Task Force, led by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams, handled the prosecution, while Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is committed to eradicating illegal pill trafficking and stopping the spread of heroin in the region.

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