Skip to main content
Press Release

Heroin Dealers Who Attempted To Elude Police Get Federal Prison Time

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men who attempted to flee police in a vehicle containing illegal drugs and thousands of dollars’ cash in March 2011 were each sentenced to prison on federal drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin. Stephen Michael Hopkins, 36, of Huntington, was sentenced on May 23 to 12 years and seven months in prison.  Hopkins’ co-defendant Eddie Daivon Morgan, 32, of Beckley, W.Va., was also sentenced on Wednesday to four years in prison.  Hopkins previously pleaded guilty in January to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Morgan previously pleaded guilty to using a cellular telephone to facilitate the possession with intent to distribute heroin.

On March 16, 2011, officers with the Charleston Police Department responded to a call near the 2600 block of 6th Avenue in Charleston.  Upon arriving at the scene, officers approached Hopkins and Morgan, both of whom were sitting inside of a parked Dodge Charger.  A responding officer ordered Hopkins and Morgan to step out of the vehicle.  Hopkins, who was sitting in the driver’s seat at the time, refused to obey the order given by police and drove away.  Officers pursued the defendants as they fled the scene.  During the police chase, Hopkins lost control of his vehicle and crashed at the intersection of 7th Street and Iowa Street in Charleston.  Hopkins and Morgan attempted to flee on foot, but were apprehended by officers a short time later.  Officers conducted a search of the vehicle and recovered a plastic bag underneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle.  The bag contained $10,920 in cash, suspected heroin, and marijuana.  The suspected heroin was submitted to the West Virginia State Police lab for testing and was found to be heroin weighing 26.6 grams. 

Police also seized a cellular phone that belonged to Morgan.  Text messages on the phone revealed messages that were sent by Morgan, informing various individuals that he had “dog food” for sale.  The term “dog food” was used in reference to the heroin that was seized by police.

The Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecutions.  The sentences were imposed by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. 

Updated January 7, 2015