Marshall County man indicted for drugs and firearms charges

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua R. Sipe, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a drugs and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Sipe, age 30, is charged with one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Sipe is accused of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine in March 2019 in Marshall County. Sipe, a person prohibited from having firearms, is also accused of possessing a .357 revolver in Marshall County in March 2019.

Sipe faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the drug charges and 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 Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.