Boone County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Charges

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Boone County man pled guilty today to drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Bruce Lee Boardman pled guilty to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.  Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Nitro Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. 119 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the West Virginia State Police.

“Another gun toting meth dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “And another federal conviction.  We are working hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to remove violent drug dealers like Boardman from our communities.”

As established by public court filings and hearings, on June 30, 2017, Nitro police stopped Boardman for driving his truck erratically.  Boardman appeared extremely nervous and admitted to driving with a revoked license due to a prior DUI.  Officers smelled marijuana coming from the truck, so they searched it and found three bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 50 grams, a small amount of marijuana, and a digital scale.  Officers also found two loaded pistols under the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

On December 12, 2017, police investigators used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Shaine Ray Dingess at a house in Nellis, West Virginia.  The informant’s hidden camera captured Boardman inside the home supplying Dingess with methamphetamine.  During the drug transaction, Boardman was holding a pistol in his hand.

Boardman is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life imprisonment when he is sentenced on June 26, 2019.  Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is handling the prosecution.

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