Morris Gets 30 Months, Meth Ring Busted in WV

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – The federal justice system delivered a series of blows to drug operations in the Mountain State today, sentencing six individuals on charges ranging from cocaine distribution to methamphetamine manufacturing. The sentences, handed down in federal court, reflect a continued effort to dismantle drug networks plaguing West Virginia communities.

Jomo Kenyatta Morris, 25, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, will spend the next 30 months behind bars for his role in cocaine trafficking within Berkeley County. The sentence stems from an incident in January 2014 and a subsequent investigation by the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. Morris pled guilty in November 2014 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.” This wasn’t a small-time operation; Morris was moving weight.

But the cocaine case was only part of the day’s grim proceedings. Five individuals were sentenced for their involvement in a methamphetamine manufacturing operation based in Hampshire County. The Potomac Highlands Drug and Violent Crime Task Force brought the operation down. Larry Franklin Gregory, 39, of Delray, West Virginia, received the harshest sentence of the group: 60 months in prison after pleading guilty in December 2014 to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Gregory was clearly a key player.

Alongside Gregory, four women also faced the consequences of their actions. Cathy Ann Corbin, 51, Sherry Lynn Woodson, 50, Kelly Christine Gross, 46, and Amanda Marie Matthews, 36, all of Romney, West Virginia, each pled guilty in December 2014 to one count of “Possession of Pseudoephedrine to be Used in the Manufacture of Methamphetamine.” Woodson received 15 months in prison, Gross 10 months, and Matthews 8 months. Corbin avoided incarceration, receiving five years of probation – a relatively lenient sentence considering the devastation meth labs leave in their wake.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas relentlessly prosecuted these cases, building a solid case against each defendant. The government clearly prioritized these investigations, and the sentences handed down demonstrate a commitment to tackling the drug trade in West Virginia. These aren’t victimless crimes; these drugs fuel addiction, violence, and despair across the state.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the sentencing hearings. The courtroom was somber as each defendant learned their fate. While these sentences offer a temporary reprieve, the fight against drug trafficking in West Virginia is far from over. The Grimy Times will continue to track these cases and report on the ongoing battle to clean up the streets.

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