WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Twenty-six individuals are facing federal charges following a sweeping indictment announced today, alleging a large-scale drug trafficking operation that flooded the Ohio Valley with deadly substances. The bust, the result of a months-long investigation, targeted a network dealing in fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine, with connections reaching as far as Las Vegas, Nevada.
At the center of the sprawling case is Quavonte Pugh, 28, of Wheeling, West Virginia, known on the streets as “Q,” “Q Man,” and “Brother.” Pugh, along with 11 others, is named in a 16-count superseding indictment accusing them of running a sophisticated enterprise. Federal authorities executed five search warrants on March 29 in West Virginia and Ohio, seizing a cache of controlled substances, firearms, and cash. The operation signals a major escalation in the fight against the relentless flow of narcotics into the region.
Alongside Pugh, those indicted in the primary case include Dalen Cage, 30, of Las Vegas, Nevada; James Galloway, 28, of Bellaire, Ohio; James Kidder, also known as “Jamey,” 47, of Martins Ferry, Ohio; Brady McKinley, 45, of Adena, Ohio; and Maria Cunningham, 46, Quamya Pugh, 25, Steven Aldridge, 26, Caviezz Cunningham, 29, Daryl Smith, 50, Tyrique Anthony Davis, 28, and Matthew Clemont, 31, all of Wheeling. According to U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, the Pugh organization was responsible for “significant amounts” of illicit drugs entering the area.
“The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force worked closely with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office and together they dismantled the group and disrupted the supply of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs to the area,” Ihlenfeld stated. But the Pugh indictment wasn’t the only blow dealt to drug traffickers today. The grand jury also handed down six additional indictments targeting separate fentanyl and methamphetamine operations. Rodrican M. Pavlick, also known as “Smooth” and “Rico”, of Cleveland, Ohio, Seanelle P. Whorton, of Benwood, West Virginia, and Josie M. Midcap, of Moundsville, West Virginia, are facing fentanyl trafficking charges in Marshall County.
Further indictments name Lawrence “Larry” Reagan and Jennifer Ann Miller, also known as Jennifer Reagan, both of Colliers, West Virginia, for methamphetamine trafficking in Brooke and Hancock Counties. Amanda Leigh Bush, James Adam Vipperman, Noah Andrew Blake, and Joseph Lee Wells, all of Moundsville, West Virginia, are also accused of methamphetamine trafficking in Marshall County. While arrests are pending for two individuals in separate Marshall County methamphetamine cases, and one individual in Wetzel County. The investigation remains active.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Nogay and Clayton Reid, alongside U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld, are leading the prosecution. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force (HIDTA-funded), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshall County Drug Task Force (HIDTA-funded), the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force (HIDTA-funded), the West Virginia State Police, multiple county sheriff’s offices, and local police departments. It’s a grim reminder that while these indictments represent a victory, the battle against the drug trade is far from over. An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related Federal Cases
- Tabatabai Clan Busted in Coast-to-Coast Drug Ring · Virginia
- Wheeling Drug Kingpin Admits to Ohio Valley Operation · Texas
- Wheeling Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges · Pennsylvania
- Live Nation Faces Trial Over Monopoly Practices · Washington
- Parkersburg Man Gets 30 Months for Multi-State Drug Ring · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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