WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Another dealer pushing poison into the Mountain State is off the streets. Rayshawn L. Ball, 31, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 41 months behind bars today after admitting to flooding Ohio County, West Virginia with heroin and cocaine.
Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced the sentence, a direct result of a dogged investigation into Ball’s operation which spanned late 2014 and early 2015. The details paint a familiar picture: out-of-state operators preying on West Virginia communities already struggling with addiction. Ball wasn’t a casual user; he was in the business of profit from misery.
Ball pled guilty in December 2016 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule I and Schedule II Controlled Substances.” The plea came after investigators connected him to the flow of both heroin and cocaine into the region. While the initial arrest was years ago, the wheels of justice, however slow, finally delivered a measure of accountability.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah W. Montoro skillfully prosecuted the case, building a solid argument based on evidence gathered by the Marshall County Drug Task Force. This task force, crucially, receives funding through the HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) program, highlighting the need for continued federal support in battling the drug epidemic.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey handed down the 41-month sentence, a significant, though perhaps not sufficient, penalty for Ball’s crimes. The sentence serves as a warning to others contemplating similar ventures: bringing drugs into West Virginia comes with serious federal consequences.
The Grimy Times will continue to track federal prosecutions across the country, exposing the individuals and networks responsible for poisoning our communities. This case underscores the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and the importance of collaborative efforts between federal and local law enforcement.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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