Davis Gets 6 Years for Targeting Drug Dealers

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Davis, 24, of Wytheville, Virginia, will spend nearly six years in federal prison after being sentenced for his role in a multi-state crime spree targeting drug dealers. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnson, closes one chapter in a case that exposed a brazen and calculated effort to prey on those operating outside the law.

Davis pleaded guilty in October 2012 to robbing Charleston drug dealer Cabell Franklin on January 18, 2012. The robbery quickly turned violent; Franklin was shot in the leg and stabbed during the encounter. While Davis pulled off the initial robbery, it was far from an isolated incident.

Federal investigators uncovered a larger conspiracy orchestrated by Robert Barcliff and his associates. Beginning in the fall of 2011, Barcliff, Davis, Keith Glenn, Darrell Gillespie, Jamaa Johnson, and others allegedly conspired to commit armed home-invasion robberies across West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Their targets weren’t random; they specifically sought out drug dealers, betting on their reluctance to involve law enforcement.

The objective was clear: steal drugs, cash from drug sales, and firearms. The group believed that drug dealers were less likely to report crimes to the police, providing them with a perceived advantage and reducing the risk of apprehension. This cynical calculation fueled a series of dangerous and violent robberies.

Barcliff, the alleged ringleader, recently received a 16-year federal prison sentence for his involvement. Jamaa Johnson and Darrell Gillespie are still awaiting sentencing, scheduled for May 2015. The investigation, a collaborative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Charleston Police Department, and Charleston Police Department, demonstrates a coordinated response to this interstate criminal enterprise.

Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman prosecuted the case. The 70-month sentence for Davis serves as a warning: preying on illegal activity doesn’t offer immunity, and those who resort to violence will face federal justice. This case underscores the ongoing battle against organized crime and the dangers posed by those who seek to profit from the illicit drug trade.”

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