Steubenville Heroin Kings Face Life Behind Bars

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The McShan brothers, Frederick A. McShan, 37, and David McShan, 42, of Steubenville, Ohio, are facing serious time after a federal jury convicted them Friday evening of running a significant heroin trafficking organization in the Steubenville area and beyond. The verdict, reached after a trial that began March 6th before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., marks a major blow to drug distribution in Eastern Ohio and West Virginia.

Frederick McShan was found guilty on a staggering array of charges: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, twelve counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. David McShan was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. The brothers’ operation, according to court documents and testimony, sourced its supply from Chicago and flooded the streets of Steubenville, including the Market Street apartment public housing area, as well as Weirton, Wheeling, and Bellaire.

The takedown was the result of a year-long collaborative investigation by a multi-agency task force including the FBI, DEA, Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office, and both the Jefferson County and Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Forces. U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman, alongside Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers (FBI), Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon (DEA), Acting U.S. Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen (Northern District of West Virginia), and Special Agent in Charge Karl Colder (DEA, Washington, D.C.), announced the verdict. The investigation yielded a substantial haul: eight firearms, three vehicles, and approximately $110,000 in narcotics proceeds.

The McShan brothers weren’t operating alone. Four co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and received their sentences. Donae F. Grier, 38, of Irving, Texas, is headed to prison for 60 months. Christopher J. Bishop, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., will spend 120 months behind bars. Kerris D. Moncrease, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., received a 42-month sentence, and Perrier D. Coleman, 21, of Steubenville, Ohio, will serve 15 months. Three more – Terrence J. Smith, 27, Michael K. Greathouse, 25, and Erica L. Jury, 37, all of Steubenville – have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

The penalties facing the McShan brothers are severe. Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin carries a potential sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Both conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute heroin, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. This isn’t just about drugs; it’s about the corrosive effect this operation had on multiple communities.

U.S. Attorney Glassman praised the teamwork that brought the McShans to justice, specifically recognizing Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Hunter and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jane M. Hanlin for their work on the prosecution. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as sentencing dates are announced and further details emerge regarding the full scope of the McShan brothers’ criminal enterprise. # # #