CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A gang of five drug kingpins were brought to justice today as they pleaded guilty for their roles in a massive federal heroin conspiracy. United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced the charges against Ralph White, Jennifer Benson, Rachel Kuhn, all 36 and from Parkersburg, and Dennis Carter, 28, from Detroit. They stood before Judge Joseph R. Goodwin and confessed to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
The group faced a fierce investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Parkersburg Drug Task Force, and local law enforcement agencies from Parkersburg, Vienna, and Williamstown. The teamwork was pivotal in dismantling this dangerous operation.
“This is the kind of collaboration that’s taking back our streets from the opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “These criminals will pay for their actions, and it’s a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies.”
The defendants have admitted selling heroin to informants on numerous occasions between November 2016 and March 2017. Their sentences range from five to forty years in federal prison. Heather Wells, also from Parkersburg, pleaded guilty to distributing heroin and faces up to twenty years imprisonment.
Joining the defendants are Debra Martin, Joseph Reeder-Shaw, Bernard Spann, Jonathan Brown, and Sir Pritis Williams, who previously pleaded guilty to similar charges, along with Kennedy Michele Walker, also convicted of distributing heroin. All are scheduled for sentencing in April 2018.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is leading an ongoing battle against prescription drug misuse and the spread of heroin in communities across the district. The commitment to aggressive prosecution and law enforcement is unwavering, targeting pill trafficking and eliminating open air markets.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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