Hancock County man admits to drug and firearms charges

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lavel L. Hicks, of Weirton, West Virginia, has admitted to drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Hicks, age 43, pled guilty to two counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base,” four counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Hydrochloride,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Hicks admitted to distributing the drugs in November and December 2017 and December 2018 in Brook and Hancock Counties. Hicks, having previously been convicted or murder in the second degree in Brooke County Circuit Court, also possessed a 9mm pistol.

Hicks faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each drug count, and he faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.