Please provide as much information as possible, Your name and address/information is optional. All rights reserved. NORTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA . Contact No. Given my position, I am especially proud of the Fusion Centers Narcotics Intelligence Unit and all our analysts and leadership, as they played a crucial role in the success of this operation.. The case was investigated by the FBI's Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force and Mon Metro Drug Task Force, which include members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement . West Virginia State Police investigates drug and violent crimes in the Ohio Valley area. EASTERN PANHANDLE DRUG TASK FORCE (Washington-Baltimore HIDTA) The government has since filed a new indictment. Jenkins, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA Cheyanne Mary Katherine Winning, of Montrose, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced. StephensonOffice: (304) 872-0377, (Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln and Mason counties)Task Force Coordinator:Darrin CoxPhone: 304-523-0837, (Kanawha and Putnam counties)Task Force Coordinator: Eric JohnsonPhone: 304-348-6814, (Wood, Pleasants, Wirt, Ritchie and Jackson counties)Task Force Coordinator:Chris BlevinsPhone: 304-485-1601, (Mercer, McDowell & Wyoming counties)Task Force Coordinator: Jose CentenoPhone: 304-327-9342, (Boone, Logan, Lincoln, and Mingo counties)Task Force Coordinator:Andy PerduePhone: 304-752-1347, Task Force Coordinator:Chris KellyPhone: 304-520-4972, (Statewide)Officer in Charge:Capt. MoreLaw Legal News For Martinsburg According to court documents, Daniel Inoa-Rodriguez, also known as "Danny," 23, was heard on wiretap phone calls, talking with other known defendants . This is essential in today's information-driven environment. Berkeley County Sheriffs Dept. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force is housed in the Wheeling Drug Enforcement Administration Office where the task force and DEA work together and utilizes state of the art equipment to investigate drug crimes in the Ohio County Area. The DEA and the Charleston Police Department didnt respond to requests for comment. The task force has since evolved and now consists of three Wheeling Police Officers, one Ohio County Sheriff's Deputy, and one Trooper from the West Virginia State Police. In total, the force seized 6 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.06 ounces of heroin, 23.99 pounds of marijuana, 3.52 ounces of cocaine, and 6.4 ounces of fentanyl all within the span of one week on. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. On Oct. 28, members of the Mon Metro Drug Task Force working alongside troopers with the Monongalia County detachment of the West Virginia State Police executed a search warrant at a residence in Independence Hills Village in reference to an ongoing narcotics distribution investigation, according to a criminal complaint. Contact No. Contact No. I have seen in CO where they have been deemed to not be sufficient for probable cause for search for drugs because marijuana is legal. The Task Force was established in 1992 and consists of officers from the Weirton Police Department, the Brooke and Hancock County Sheriff's Departments and. 304-517-2209 Established in 1973, this anti-drug agency combined the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) and Customs drug agents to provide exclusive enforcement of federal drug laws. Drug Enforcement Agency on DEA website. In the mid 1990s an Ohio County Sheriff's Deputy was added and the name was changed to The Wheeling-Ohio County Drug Unit. Given how successful the first operation was, I am excited to see how many of these traffickers get stopped in their tracks here in West Virginia. And a column in the Washington Post in July 2017 listed a series of incidents of misconduct and over-aggressive policing by task forces, including incidents where people were killed. Originally started in 1989 with three officers from the Wheeling Police Department working part time on drug investigations, at that time it was called The Wheeling Drug Unit. The office has reviewed Goodwin's order and takes the courts concerns seriously, the spokesperson said. During an investigation, task force members determined that Wendell Mount, 42, of Detroit, Michigan; and Tasharka Sargent, 41, of New York City, as well as two other individuals, conspired to further the sale of controlled substances, task force members said. Ranson Police Dept. Lewis County Sheriff's Dept. Circuit Court of Appeals. The task force is made up of several agencies, including the Virginia State Police (VSP), the RCSO, the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Town of Lebanon Police Department. In another sense, though, Goodwins ruling was entirely unsurprising. CHARLESTON, W.Va (WDTV) - The American Governors Border Strike Force, signed by 26 governors, including Gov. These officers investigate drug and violent crimes and have multi-state jurisdiction. The line is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. West Virginia State Police BCI Tucker County Sheriff's Office. Contact Us WVSP-BCI+FBI This cooperative effort between the DEA and local law enforcement agencies actually began in 1970, before the establishment of the DEA, with a pilot task force created in New York City by the former BNDD. COMBINED TASK FORCES Buckhannon Police Dept. In 1999, 39 Black people were arrested in Tulia, Texas, for selling drugs based entirely on a task force cop's fabricated testimony, as recounted in a PBS documentary that aired in 2009. Dec. 17Morgantown police arrested a Fairmont man found in possession of a stolen vehicle, a stolen firearm, and drugs on Dec. 14. West Virginia State Police, POTOMAC HIGHLANDS DRUGTASK FORCE (Washington-Baltimore HIDTA) State and Local Task Forces. As drug trafficking increased nationwide, DEA recognized the need for cooperation and coordination of drug enforcement efforts with their state and local counterparts. To enforce federal law,the U.S. Attorney's Office works closely with the West Virginia State Police, local police departments, county sheriffs offices, and drug task forces consisting of representatives of federal, state, and local law enforcement. "State and Local Task Forces. Wheeling Police Dept. In December, Goodwin issued an order suppressing evidence seized from a house in 2021. Why hasnt there been a bigger challenge to the use of drug dogs? Contact No. Jefferson County Drug Task Force officials say they conducted a search warrant at Quincy Dudley's, 51, residence and found about 165 grams of cocaine and various drug paraphernalia. MONMETRO DRUGTASK FORCE (Appalachia HIDTA) In December, Goodwin issued an order suppressing evidence seized from a house in 2021. DEA. Kanu, who was born in Sierra Leone and grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, worked in public interest law after graduating from Duke University School of Law. Hancock County Sheriffs Dept. Dudley is charged with two F5 counts of drug trafficking and one count of F5 count of possession of drugs. Marshall County Sheriff's Office Tips can also be submitted online at go.wv . Project FUTURE is a comprehensive strategy to educate parents and children about the dangers of prescribed medicine, synthetic drugs, and other illegal drugs that are plaguing communities in West Virginia. ATF The officers' warrant application listed the incorrect address, and initially identified the wrong person as a suspect. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff's Office; and the Morgantown, WVU, Granville and Star City police departments. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force investigates drug and violent crimes in the Ohio Valley area. Reuters reported a few days ago on a recent set of court orders from a federal judge in West Virginia finding a troubling pattern of illegal search warrants obtained by drug task force officers. The Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, Martinsburg City Police Department , Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Charles Town Police Department, Ranson Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigations and Homeland Security . I am just really proud of the work that all these agencies have done to make sure that West Virginia is a safer place for all of us, says Governor Justice. The majority of the task forces are full-time efforts however, additional task forces are formed on an ad-hoc basis, in response to specific cases. The Beckley Police Department announced the indictments Monday. To my mind, the series of recent decisions throwing out evidence are themselves a signal that the new processes may not be sufficient, and they make the case for federal authorities to take a larger role in preventing patterns of unconstitutional policing. Composed of: THREE RIVERS DRUG TASK FORCE Originally started in 1989 with three officers from the Wheeling Police Department working part time on drug investigations, at that time it was called The Wheeling Drug Unit. The Weirton Police Department has staff assigned to the work with the Hancock, Brooke, Weirton Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Clarksburg Police Dept. This was the criminal case: And heres the opinion from the subsequent civil lawsuit. An official website of the United States government. Please enable JavaScript to view the page content.<br/>Your support ID is . ATF Fairmont Police Dept. I fear this is becoming a pattern, Goodwinwroteon April 28, 2021, pointing to asimilar rulingin another MDENT case from a week earlier. Hancock County Prosecuting Attorneys Office If you have any information regarding narcotics activity, call the Drug Task Force at (304) 810-4214 or send an anonymous tip to sheriff@marshallcountywv.org The Marshall County Drug Task Force is hosted by the Marshall County Sheriff. This cooperation provided several advantages to all participating agencies: DEA was able to draw on the expertise of state of local law enforcement; DEA could share resources with state and local officers, thereby increasing the investigative possibilities available to all; state and local officers could be deputized as federal drug agents, thus extending their jurisdiction; state and local participating agencies could receive an equitable share of forfeited drug proceeds; and DEA could pay overtime and investigative expenses for the state and local agencies. The U.S. Department of Justice provides addresses of locations where law enforcement agencies reported finding items that indicated the presence of either clandestine drug laboratories or dumpsites. Randolph County Sheriff's Office Grant County Sheriff's Office MOUNTAIN REGION DRUG TASK FORCE Contact No. Ohio County Sheriffs Dept. (Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, Cabell, Ohio and Putnam counties)WV Deputy Director: Kenny BurnerPhone: 304-522-0901, (Nicholas, Clay, Webster and Pocahontas counties)Task Force Coordinator:R.E. A locked padlock The United States Attorney served as a state circuit court judge for almost 15 years prior to his role as U.S. Attorney and brings that experience analyzing constitutional and suppression issues to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Deanna Eder, public affairs officer for Thompson, declined to comment in the pending case. What youre about to see, demonstrated in black and white courtesy of the federal judiciary, is proof of a pattern and practice of police misconduct. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State. Contact No. The Feb. 22 ruling by Judge Joseph Goodwin included unusually strong condemnation of federal prosecutors and local magistrate judges conduct, in addition to a multi-agency drug enforcement task force. (Reuters) - A federal judge recently criticized law enforcement and the court system in Charleston, West Virginia, in a remarkable decision upholding a finding that police didn't tell the truth when obtaining a search warrant for a suspected drug dealers home. 304/797-8574 CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) A 44-year-old Harrison County man went on trial Monday on six alleged sex crime charges. ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA - Joshua Dewayne Simmons, of Elkins, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Simmons, 29, pleaded guilty today to one count of "Distribution of MethamphetamineAiding and Read more Randolph County man admits to drug charge Posted Monday, 28 February 2022 The MDENT has also been admonished for what courts described as open and purposeful disregard of the legal limits on searches and seizures by at leastone other judgeof the Southern District of West Virginia, and in aunanimous opinionby the 4th U.S. The first task force was comprised of investigators from major state and local regional agencies, primarily the New York City Police Department and the New York State, along with BNDD personnel. Police Academy/CERT classes returning to Upshur Co. Lewis County Sheriffs Department looking for wanted, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. On Tuesday, local authorities arrested 87 in a drug round-up. Composed of: Composed of: Composed of: Braxton County Sheriff's Dept. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office FBI Grant County Sheriff's Office, MOUNTAIN REGION DRUG TASK FORCE Hardy County Sheriff's Office Winning, 30, pleaded guilty today to one count of Distribution of, WV Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crime Task Force | Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. The task force is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiative, a designation that enables the county to draw from federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement officials. The Task Force was established in 1992 and consists of officers from the Weirton Police Department, the Brooke and Hancock County Sheriff's Departments and United States Drug Enforcement Agency. According to Huntington Police, Members of the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force, Huntington Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit, and HPD SWAT Team seized four firearms and suspected heroin, crack cocaine, suboxone, and marijuana at a home in Marcum Terrace. Due to the complexity of drug problems in the region and the varied levels of drug trafficking, the New York City metropolitan area was ideal for . The Huntington Police Department on Tuesday announced a partnership with the federally-funded Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. read more Ohio County has been designated an Appalachia HIDTA County (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) which brings additional funding to the area. Justice congratulates the West Virginia State Police and DHHR for delivering medications from the United States Strategic National Stockpile to hospitals across the state. The task force has since evolved and now consists of three Wheeling Police Officers, one Ohio County Sheriff's Deputy, and one Trooper from the West Virginia State Police. An independent review revealed that Baltimore's Gun Trace Task Force was little more than a roving crew of armed robbers masquerading as cops - sworn officers targeting drug-dealing suspects. Reuters published yet another article today expanding on the earlier report, noting that more than one federal judge in West Virginia, as well as a unanimous panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals found that this particular drug task force in West Virginia has been engaged in unconstitutional violations pertaining to search warrants. ITS HORRIFIC . 5/1/2020 Gov. Provisional task forces are supported by the operating budgets of DEA field division offices, without resources from DEA headquarters, and do not included state and local overtime. A spokesperson said Thompson conducted a thorough review of policies upon taking office in October 2021 and implemented a new process for reviewing search warrant applications even prior to the order in the Lark case.. Nearly 60 indicted in Raleigh County, WV, as result of drug task force investigations BECKLEY As a result of investigative efforts by an area drug task force, nearly 60 people were recently indicted in Raleigh County. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is charged with the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act as well as investigation of the highest level of domestic and international narcotics traffickers. An independent review revealed that Baltimores Gun Trace Task Force was little more than a roving crew of armed robbers masquerading as cops sworn officers targeting drug-dealing suspects and random taxpayers alike for robberies, on and off the clock, according to the report released in January. ATF A West Virginia city is getting a new task force to combat drug trafficking organizations. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force is housed in the Wheeling Drug Enforcement Administration Office where the task force and DEA work together and utilizes state of the art equipment to investigate drug crimes in the Ohio County Area. Composed of: DEA Your support ID is: 14622863909062974522. Submit a Crime Tip. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. West Virginia State Police. Driving In West Virginia Links Current Road Conditions and Closures Snow and Ice Conditions Map Federal Agencies The White House Federal Bureau of Investigation Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Drug Enforcement Administration Secret Service US Marshals Service Customs Service Coast Guard Postal Inspection Service Department of Justice The judge tossed out evidence in a drug case last year, holding that the Charleston Police, MDENT, and a Kanawha County magistrate had again failed to respect constitutional limits on searches and seizures. While executing the search warrant, task force members located 45 grams of methamphetamine, 40 grams of cocaine, 20 grams of fentanyl, as well as an additional 30 grams of fentanyl, 23 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of cocaine Mount was attempting to flush down the toilet, according to the complaint. Firearm, and initially identified the wrong person as a suspect is getting a new Task FORCE Contact.. 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