Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth, Gun Charges

Huntington, W.Va. — Elizabeth Leighton Mullins, 46, stood before a federal judge and admitted she was knee-deep in the city’s drug trade, pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a prohibited person in possession of two loaded firearms.

Mullins admitted that on February 13, 2019, inside a residence at 1352 Charleston Ave., she possessed approximately 69 grams of methamphetamine packaged in plastic baggies — clear indicators of distribution. Alongside the drugs, law enforcement recovered a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol and a loaded Ruger LCP II .380 caliber pistol. Mullins admitted both guns were hers and that she was actively using methamphetamine, making her possession of firearms illegal under federal law.

“Getting illegal drugs off the streets of Huntington was a top priority of mine since becoming United States Attorney. We have left no stone unturned and the results speak for themselves,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Great work by the Huntington Police Department and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West in stopping this gun-toting drug dealer.”

The investigation, led by the Huntington Police Department and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, zeroed in on Mullins as part of a broader crackdown on violent offenders pushing drugs in high-crime zones. The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature initiative targeting violent crime through coordinated federal, state, and local enforcement.

Mullins now faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2020, before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is handling the prosecution.

Court records, including related filings, are available on PACER under Case No. 3:19-cr-00203. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia issued the official release, underscoring the federal government’s aggressive stance on drug-related gun crimes in Appalachia’s hardest-hit communities.

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