Derrick Woodard, Firearms Trafficking, West Virginia 2023

Three defendants have been sentenced in connection with a firearms trafficking conspiracy that saw over 140 guns transported from West Virginia to Philadelphia.

According to court documents, Derrick Woodard, 27, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license.

Woodard, also known as ‘D,’ admitted to traveling to Beckley with Bisheem Jones and several other co-defendants on October 17, 2020, to obtain firearms with plans to resell them for profit in Philadelphia.

Another defendant, Tyana Bly, 23, of Beckley, was sentenced to five years of federal probation for making false statements in the acquisition of firearms. Bly, also known as ‘Biggie,’ admitted to buying firearms for Jones, who selected which firearms to buy at businesses within the Southern District of West Virginia and provided the money for the purchases.

Megan Bickford, 34, of Oak Hill, was also sentenced to five years of federal probation for making false statements in the acquisition of firearms. Bickford must serve the first four months of her probation on home confinement.

The conspiracy involved over 140 firearms being trafficked from Beckley to Philadelphia. Of the firearms recovered, approximately 45 have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses. Nineteen of the firearms recovered from Philadelphia crime scenes were purchased by Bickford.

United States Attorney Will Thompson commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Negar M. Kordestani and Steve Loew prosecuted the cases. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The program brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The case is part of an effort to strengthen PSN based on core principles that include fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-46 and 5:22-cr-78.

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