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February 26, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two Individuals Enter Pleas in Federal Court

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - Two individuals entered pleas of guilty in United States District Court in Martinsburg on February 21, 2013, before Magistrate Judge David J. Joel.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that:

PAULA S. HIGH, age 55, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, entered a plea of guilty to “Acquiring, Obtaining, and Possessing Controlled Substances by Mispresentation, Fraud, Forgery and Deception,” on March 9, 2009. HIGH, while a Registered Nurse assigned to the ER of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Medical Center, in Martinsburg, acquired controlled substances using an account assigned and authorized to her through her employment. However, instead of administering the medication to a patient, HIGH kept the controlled substances for personal use. HIGH, who is on bond pending sentencing, faces up to 4 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew R.Cogar and investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Office of Inspector General.

COREY HASSAN MITCHELL, age 42, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, entered a plea of guilty to “Distribution of Crack Cocaine.” MITCHELL, who is in custody pending sentencing, faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine.

This case was investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Paul T. Camilletti and investigated by the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the West Virginia State Police - Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Martinsburg Police Department, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department