Shaquan Omar Richardson, Drug Conspiracy, West Virginia 2020

A hard-hitting crime has shaken the streets of West Virginia, with Shaquan Omar Richardson, 26, of Harpers Ferry, being sentenced to 168 months of incarceration for his role in a multi-state drug conspiracy.

Richardson, also known as “Wave,” pleaded guilty in November 2020 to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute One Kilogram or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Phencyclidine (PCP)” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute 280 Grams or More of Cocaine Base.”

According to the investigation, Richardson worked with others to distribute PCP from August 2019 to September 2019 in Jefferson County and elsewhere. He also admitted to distributing more than 280 grams or more of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in September 2019 in Jefferson County.

This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. The initiative aims to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the case.

The investigation and subsequent sentencing of Richardson serve as a warning to those involved in similar illicit activities. As the Grimy Times continues to expose the harsh realities of crime, we will keep a close eye on this and other cases that impact the community.

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