PRESS RELEASE
June 20 , 2008
Lexington, Ky. —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Inspector General, and USP Big Sandy announced today that two former USP Big Sandy Inmates in Martin County, Ky. were indicted for conspiring to obtain heroin.
The indictment alleges that from December of 2005 until July 23, 2006, 27-year-old Sherlon Anthony Henderson, formerly of Benton Harbor, Mich. and 49-year-old David A.Ward, a current inmate at the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Coleman, Fla., conspired along with several other individuals to obtain a prohibited object inside a Federal prison (at Big Sandy), that is, the controlled substance heroin. Former USP Big Sandy inmate Personne Elrico McGhee and former USP Big Sandy correctional officer Alice Marie Stapleton were also involved in the conspiracy. Stapleton was placed on administrative leave in July of 2006 and was convicted for conspiracy to distribute heroin and marijuana and conspiracy to introduce contraband in February of 2007. She is currently serving a 78 month sentence. Henderson was released from Big Sandy in June of 2006.
The defendants appearance before the United States District Court have not yet been set by the court. If convicted, Henderson and Ward face a maximum prison sentence of 30 years. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence.
The indictment of a person by a grand jury is an accusation only, and that person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.