Four men sentenced for roles in methamphetamine conspiracy

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Four men have been sentenced today to a combined 116 months incarceration for their roles in a methamphetamine conspiracy, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Corey Bircher, of Elk Garden, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 37 months incarceration. Bircher, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime” in February 2019. Bircher admitted to having a .357 revolver during a methamphetamine distribution crime in February 2018 in Mineral County.

Steve William Gray, of Luray, Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months incarceration. Gray, age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.” He admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine from August 2017 to June 2018 in Mineral, Hardy, and Hampshire Counties.

Tyler Allen Whitacre, of Elk Garden, West Virginia, was sentenced to 15 months incarceration. Whitacre, age 25, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in March 2019. Whitacre admitted to selling methamphetamine in January 2018 in Mineral County.

Joseph Nathaniel Hagan, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 46 months incarceration. Hagan, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in March 2019. Hagan admitted to distributing methamphetamine in January 2018 in Hampshire County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, The West Virginia State Police, and the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated. 

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.