ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA — A Randolph County woman has admitted to fueling the region’s drug crisis by distributing methamphetamine while lying to obtain a firearm. Gina Carol McCauley, 38, of Beverly, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to two federal charges tied to a months-long drug operation in 2018.
McCauley pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “False Statement in Connection with the Acquisition of a Firearm.” Federal prosecutors say she conspired with at least one other individual to move meth across Randolph County from March through November of 2018, profiting from addiction while putting the community at risk.
As part of her guilty plea, McCauley admitted to lying on federal forms when purchasing a .380 caliber pistol and 49 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition. That lie, prosecutors say, allowed her to arm herself during active drug trafficking — a dangerous escalation that carries its own federal penalty.
She now faces a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison for the drug charge, along with a fine of up to $5,000,000. The firearms charge carries up to five years behind bars and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the final sentence will reflect the severity of her crimes and any prior record.
The case was investigated by a coalition of federal and local agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crime Task Force — a HIDTA-funded initiative — and multiple county sheriffs and municipal police departments. The probe was funded through the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF), which targets major drug networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the plea hearing. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date, as federal authorities continue to dismantle the network McCauley helped operate.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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