Marion County man admits to drug and firearms charges

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sanford Austin Mays, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to drug possession and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Mays, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearms.” Mays admitted to possessing methamphetamine in Marion County in June 2018. Mays, having been previously convicted of multiple felonies, is also accused of having a .45 caliber pistol in Marion County in June 2018.

Mays faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the methamphetamine count and 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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the White Hall Police Department investigated. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.