Six Indicted On Federal Gun Charges

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IN CONNECTION WITH STONEWOOD POLICE BREAK-IN

Greater Harrison DTF Leads Investigation

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Six Clarksburg residents were indicted by a federal grand jury this week in connection with the recent theft of firearms from a local police department.

United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld, II, announced that a 32-count indictment was returned this week related to a burglary that occurred at the Stonewood Police Department in August of 2013.

JONATHAN CARPENTER, age 25; MICHELLE MCKINNEY, age 29; DOMINIC SUTHERLIN, age 27; JOHN LYNCH, age 43, DENAUL DICKERSON, age 26; and KRISTOPHER COX, age 33, all of Clarksburg, were named in a thirty-two count Indictment. CARPENTER, MCKINNEY, SUTHERLIN and LYNCH were named in one count of “Conspiracy to Violate Federal Firearms Laws” from August 24 to August 26, 2013. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants are charged with the possession, concealment, storing, selling and disposing of firearms that were stolen from the police department.

DICKERSON is named in one count of “Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful Drug User/Addict and COX is named in one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.”

CARPENTER faces a total of twenty-four counts; MCKINNEY faces a total of eight counts; and SUTHERLIN and LYNCH each face a total of five counts.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, other charges include “Possession, Concealment and Storage of Stolen Firearms,” “Possession of a Firearm by an Unlawful Drug User/Addict,” “Felon in Possession of Firearms,” “Possession of an Unregistered Firearm,” “Making a Materially False Statement in the Acquisition of a Firearm,” and “Sale and Disposal of a Stolen Firearm.” The defendants each face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and up to twenty years in prison on each of the other charges.

In another case investigated by the drug task force, five area residents were named in a 17-count drug indictment. MATTHEW VANHORN, 27, of Stonewood; CHARLES COUNTS, age 42, of Reynoldsville; MEGAN COUNTS, age 24, of Stonewood; MARY WILCOX, age 43, of Stonewood; and, ONDREA KATHERINE COUNTS, age 41, of Reynoldsville, were each charged with various federal drug felonies.

VANHORN, CHARLES COUNTS, MEGAN COUNTS and ONDREA COUNTS are charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute MDMA, BZP and Crack Cocaine” from October of 2010 to January of 2012 in Clarksburg. VANHORN faces a total of thirteen counts, CHARLES COUNTS faces eight counts; MEGAN COUNTS faces five counts; WILCOX faces one count; and ONDREA COUNTS faces two counts.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, other charges include “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute More than 100 Grams of Heroin”, “Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises”, “Distribution of and Possession with Intent to Distribute MDMA, BZP, Crack Cocaine and Heroin within 1,000 Feet of Oakmound Apartments” and “Possession with Intent Distribute Heroin.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is seeking to forfeit $5,121 in United States currency and is seeking a $50,000 money judgment in the case.

The defendants face up to twenty years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to forty years in prison on the sales and possessions that occurred near a protected location as well as the conspiracy charging more than 100 grams of heroin; and up to 20 years on the premises charges.

These cases will be prosecuted by Criminal Chief Shawn A. Morgan. The Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force consists of officers & agents from the Bridgeport Police Department; the Clarksburg Police Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and the United States Marshals Service.

The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations and not evidence of guilt, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.