Eight Individuals Sentenced In Federal Court

1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Matthew Lyman, Public Affairs Specialist/Community Outreach Coordinator

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Eight individuals appeared before Chief Judge John Preston Bailey for sentencing, according to United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II.

Ricky Lee TOWNSEND, age 53, of Coxs Mills, West Virginia, was sentenced to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of materials used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. The Court ordered that TOWNSEND’s sentence run concurrent with the Gilmer County state sentence he is currently serving on drug-related charges; therefore, TOWNSEND was remanded to state custody. This case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police.

Barbara Ann SPIVA, age 48, of Elkins, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release for maintaining a drug-involved premise in Randolph County for the purpose of manufacturing, storing, distributing and using methamphetamine. SPIVA was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation to a Federal institution. This case was investigated by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.

The TOWNSEND and SPIVA cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner.

Chad Frederick ARBOGAST, age 35, of Belington, West Virginia, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for the distribution of oxycodone on July 8, 2013. ARBOGAST who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated Federal institution on July 15, 2014.

Jonathan Scott HEALEY, age 30, of Elkins, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release for the use of a communication device to facilitate a drug felony. The Court ordered that HEALEY’s sentence run consecutive to a state sentence he is currently servicing for 3rd degree shoplifting, and therefore, HEALEY was remanded to state custody.

Keith Allen POTEETE, age 48, of Elkins, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and four years of supervised release for the distribution of buprenorphine within 1,000 feet of the Davis

Street Park Playground. POTEETE, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated Federal institution on July 15, 2014.

Charles Jacob FREEMAN, age 26, of Beverly, West Virginia, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison and four years of supervised release for the distribution of alprazolam within 1,000 feet of the Beverly Manor. FREEMAN, who is free on bond, will self-report to the designated Federal institution on July 15, 2014.

Kenneth Franklin PUDDER, age 32, of Elkins, was sentenced to three years of probation for maintaining a drug-involved premise for the purpose of unlawfully storing and distributing buprenorphine.

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn A. Morgan and Stephen D. Warner and were the result of the work of the Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Forest Service, Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, Tucker County Sheriff’s Department and the DEA, assisted by the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad.

Ronald SNYDER, age 39, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and five years of supervised release for failure to update his sex offender registration. The Court ordered that SNYDER’s sentence be served consecutively with the state sentence he is currently serving for the delivery of marijuana, and therefore SNYDER was remanded to state custody. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan and investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police.