CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Damian Means, 28, a Charleston resident with a prior crack distribution conviction, admitted today to a litany of federal crimes, including illegally peddling firearms and narcotics. Means’ guilty plea comes after a 2016 investigation that exposed a brazen disregard for the law and a clear danger to the community.
According to court documents, Means first crossed the line on August 23, 2016, when he sold heroin to a confidential informant. Less than three weeks later, on September 13, 2016, he escalated his criminal activity, selling two loaded Hi-Point .40 caliber semiautomatic pistols and a Hi-Point 9mm Carbine semiautomatic rifle to an undercover police officer. The deal didn’t go off without a hitch – Means accidentally discharged one of the firearms during the transaction, demonstrating a reckless indifference to safety. The undercover officer also witnessed Means simultaneously conducting a methamphetamine sale to another individual.
The heat intensified on September 15, 2016, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Means’ residence. The search uncovered an H&R .32 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Means, facing mounting evidence, confessed to both selling guns and dealing drugs. He was already prohibited from possessing any firearm due to a 2012 conviction in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution of crack cocaine. The system, once again, failed to keep a dangerous felon from acquiring deadly weapons.
United States Attorney Carol Casto announced the guilty plea, a small victory in a larger battle against gun and drug violence. Means now faces up to 10 years in federal prison when sentenced on June 22, 2017. It remains to be seen if that sentence will be enough to deter others like him.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Sheriff’s Tactical Operations Patrol (STOP Team) of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is leading the prosecution. The plea hearing took place before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative aimed at reducing gun crime by strengthening local partnerships.
Furthermore, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is actively pursuing a broader campaign to combat the illicit drug trade, targeting pill trafficking, open-air markets, and the spread of illegal narcotics throughout the region. The office, alongside federal, state, and local agencies, vows to aggressively pursue and dismantle these criminal networks. Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews for ongoing updates.
Related Federal Cases
- Detroit Man Nelson Admits Gun Fueled Drug Trade · West Virginia
- Welch Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Crack Distribution · West Virginia
- Elkins Drug Ring Busted: Workman Faces Machine Gun Rap · West Virginia
- Detroit Drug Dealer Gets Over Four Years for Oxymorphone · Michigan
- Detroit Drug Ring Member Moore Convicted of Oxycodone Trafficking · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
