Last of Nearly Two Dozen Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. –  The last of nearly two dozen defendants was sentenced today to federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Shaun Givens, 40, of Beckley, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison.  Stuart commended the cooperative investigative efforts of several agencies, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Beckley Police Department, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service also provided assistance throughout the investigation.

“The last of nearly two dozen drug thugs that no longer comprise a drug trafficking organization,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Out of business and behind bars – exactly what we want for every drug dealer and poison peddler in West Virginia.  Great job by my prosecutor and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners.”

Shaun Givens previously admitted at his plea hearing that between August 2016 and June 28, 2017, he participated in a drug trafficking organization that distributed cocaine and heroin in and around Raleigh County.  Givens admitted that during this time period, he received in excess of 500 grams of cocaine from other members of the drug trafficking organization that he distributed in the southern district of West Virginia.  Givens also admitted that on June 28, 2017, police officers executed a search warrant at his residence in Beckley.  During the execution of the search warrant, officers found over seven grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, a small amount of cocaine base, seven firearms, and $1,127 in cash that defendant admitted were the proceeds of his illegal drug trafficking.

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution.  Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence.

All of the other defendants in this case have already been sentenced.  Velarian Carter of Beckley was recently sentenced to 240 months, or 20 years in federal prison for his participation in this drug trafficking organization.  His sentence was ordered to run consecutively to a 20 year sentence Mr. Carter is already serving on unrelated drug charges.  Detria Carter of Beckley, the sister of Velarian Carter, was recently sentenced to 151 months, or 12 years and seven months in federal prison.  Cheyenne Fragale and Macon Fragale, brothers from Boomer in Fayette County, were sentenced to 12 years, and 16 years and 8 months in prison, respectively.  Rory White of Montgomery was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison.  Tiffany Ramsey, also from Boomer, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.  Dominic Copney, of Beckley, has been sentenced to 2 years in federal prison. Donald Scalise, of Montgomery, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.

On July 10 and July 11, 2018, Judge David A. Faber sentenced Esau Burnett, of Beckley, to 66 months in federal prison, Shawn Akiem Anderson, of Mount Hope, to 108 months in federal prison, and Shaun Jones, also of Beckley, to 120 months in federal prison.  He also sentenced to Jonathan V. Moore, and Charles Hill, both of Beckley to 97 months and 60 months, respectively.  Corey Larkin, of Beckley, was previously sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after he was determined to be a career offender.

David Shaun Coleman of Boomer was previously sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, while Rashaun Carter of Beckley and Derrick Staples of Charleston were each sentenced to 121 months in federal prison.  Jonathan O. Brockman, the brother of George E. Brockman, II, of Kimberly, Fayette County, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison.  Coleman, Carter, Staples and Brockman were also sentenced by Senior Judge David A. Faber.

On August 13, 2018, Judge David A. Faber sentenced James Rodney Staples, of Woodbridge, VA, to 151 in federal prison,  Karl Funderburk, of Teays Valley, to 60 months in federal prison, and George E. Brockman, II, of Montgomery, to 108 months in federal prison.