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March 25, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inmate Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a “Shank”
and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marihuana

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A 38 year old inmate was sentenced on March 24, 2009, in United States District Court in Clarksburg by Judge Irene M. Keeley.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that EUNICE HUSBAND was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release. HUSBAND was convicted by a Federal Trial Jury on September 3, 2008, on two counts of an Indictment. Specifically, HUSBAND was convicted of one count of possession of a “shank” (homemade knife) and one count of possession with intent to distribute marihuana on January 8, 2008, at USP Hazelton.

Evidence at trial proved that on January 8, 2008, corrections officers searched HUSBAND and located a seven-inch metal shank in his pants pocket. He was placed in handcuffs and taken to the special housing unit for a visual search. This more extensive search which involved the removal of his clothes was conducted in the visual search cell in the special housing unit. During the visual search, an officer saw Husband turn his back to the officers and begin placing items in his mouth. He was ordered to stop but refused. Officers entered the room and subdued Husband and found 35 small bags of marihuana. The identity of the substance was confirmed by the DEA laboratory. HUSBAND committed these offenses when he was an inmate at USP Hazelton serving a sentence for a drug offense committed in Illinois in 1998. He completed that sentence on July 22, 2008. HUSBAND was determined by the Court to be a career offender. HUSBAND was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to be returned to BOP custody to serve this 10-year sentence.

The case was investigated by USP Hazelton and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Godwin.