Timothy E. Billups, a 25-year-old from Wheeling, West Virginia, admitted in federal court to selling crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a protected location—specifically, the Jensen Playground in Ohio County. The sale occurred in June 2017, marking a brazen violation of federal law designed to shield children from drug activity.
Billups pled guilty to one count of ‘Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location,’ a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 40 years behind bars and a $2,000,000 fine. The proximity to a playground escalates the severity, triggering enhanced sentencing under federal statutes.
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell confirmed the plea, underscoring the Justice Department’s relentless focus on drug dealers who operate near schools and recreational areas where kids gather. “This wasn’t just a drug deal—it was a direct threat to the safety of a community,” Powell said. “Selling poison steps from a playground is unacceptable.”
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a regional unit funded through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Their joint efforts led to the evidence that sealed Billups’ guilty plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is handling prosecution for the federal government. U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided over the hearing, where Billups waived trial and accepted responsibility—though the final sentence will depend on federal guidelines, including the seriousness of the offense and any prior criminal history.
Billups remains in custody pending sentencing. With up to 40 years on the line, the case sends a stark message: dealing drugs near places where children play won’t be tolerated—and the feds are watching.
Related Federal Cases
- Ohio Man Admits to Selling Meth Near West Virginia Apartments · West Virginia
- Quashad Maurante Pugh Admits to Cocaine Distribution in Wheeling · West Virginia
- Richard Warf Admits to Meth, Heroin, Cocaine Distribution · West Virginia
- Ohio Dealer ‘Charlie’ Admits to Meth Push Near Wheeling · West Virginia
- Chad Askew Admits Cocaine Sale · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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