Crack Still Claws at Huntington: Grigsby Pleads Guilty

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Maurice D. Grigsby, a 35-year-old Huntington man known on the streets as “Ty,” has admitted to peddling crack cocaine, bringing another dealer to account in a city battling a persistent drug problem. The guilty plea, announced by United States Attorney Mike Stuart, marks a small victory in a long war against narcotics in the Mountain State.

Grigsby pled guilty to two counts of distribution of crack cocaine, offenses stemming from controlled buys orchestrated by law enforcement in March and April of 2019. According to court documents, on March 28, 2019, Grigsby delivered approximately 1.1 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant at The Lighthouse Bar in the Guyandotte neighborhood. Less than a month later, on April 24, 2019, he again supplied approximately 1.08 grams of the drug during another controlled transaction near 2575 5th Ave. in Huntington.

“Many people think ‘crack’ is a thing of the past. It’s not. It’s still here and still a problem,” Stuart stated bluntly. “We continue to prosecute crack dealers.” The U.S. Attorney’s office has made it a priority to target drug distribution networks, even as the national conversation shifts towards opioid abuse and other substances.

Grigsby now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years behind bars. Sentencing is scheduled for December 14, 2020, before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. While the length of the sentence is at the judge’s discretion, federal guidelines typically suggest a substantial period of incarceration for repeat or significant drug offenders.

The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the FBI’s Southern West Virginia Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) West Task Force, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police. The coordinated takedown highlights the importance of interagency cooperation in combating drug trafficking.

Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is leading the prosecution. Details of the case, including court documents, can be found on the PACER system under Case No. 3:19-cr-00257. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia has published a press release detailing the plea, available on their website. Follow updates on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart.

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