Six Tucker County Residents Indicted On Methamphetamine Charges

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Two others indicted by Elkins Grand Jury

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA — United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Elkins returned a 39-count indictment charging six Tucker County residents with drug charges related to the manufacture of methamphetamine.

DESTRY SETH POLING, age 26, of Parsons, West Virginia; SHANNON DAVID FLAGG a/k/a “SHANE,” age 40, of Hambleton, West Virginia, SUSAN CHLOE RIDLEY, age
47, of Parsons, MISTY AUTUMN GRAFTON, age 25, of Hambleton, ERIC SCOTT PENNINGTON, age 29, of Parsons, and MICHAEL LUTHER WHITE, age 22, of Thomas, West Virginia, with “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine” from November of 2012 to June of 2013, in Tucker, Randolph, Upshur and Preston Counties.

POLING faces a total of five counts; FLAGG faces a total of fourteen counts; RIDLEY and GRAFTON face a total of six counts; PENNINGTON faces a total of ten counts; and, WHITE faces two counts.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, other charges include the possession of material used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of pseudoephedrine to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine and attempted possession of pseudoephedrine to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Each defendant faces penalties of up to 20 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen D. Warner and was investigated by agents and officers of the Monongahela National Forest Law Enforcement and Investigations Division.
In addition, the following indictments were also returned by the grand jury this week: CHAD FREDERICK ARBOGAST, age 34, of Belington, West Virginia, was named in
a seven-count Indictment charging him with “Distribution and Possession with Intent to
Distribute Oxycodone and Heroin.” If convicted, ARBOGAST faces up to 20 years imprisonment on each count. This case will be prosecuted by Warner and was investigated by the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

MICHAEL J. WHITE, age 45, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was named in a four- count Indictment charging him with one count of “Stealing Public Money” and three counts of “False Statement.” If convicted, WHITE faces up to ten years imprisonment on the public money charge and up to five years imprisonment on each of the false statement charges. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. and was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division.

It should be noted that the charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and not evidence of guilt, and that each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.