Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty To Firearms Charges

Defendant had previously pled guilty to distribution of heroin

Charleston, W.Va. – Chandra Ross, 30, of Charleston, West Virginia, pled guilty today in federal court to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and to possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.   In August of 2013, a federal grand jury sitting in Charleston, returned a three-count indictment against Ross charging her with possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.  Ross entered into a plea agreement, in which she agreed to plead guilty to the heroin charge and cooperate with law enforcement officers.  In return, the United States agreed to dismiss the two gun charges.  Ross, however, failed to provide the required cooperation and thereby breached the plea agreement.  As a result, the district court ruled that the United States was no longer bound by the plea agreement and was not obligated to dismiss the remaining counts in the indictment.  Ross pled guilty to those two remaining counts today.

Based on her plea today, Ross faces a mandatory minimum five years imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on the charge of possessing the firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Her conviction on that charge mandates that the sentence be consecutive to (added on to) the sentence on the other drug and gun charges.   Sentencing has been scheduled for June 26, 2014.

The investigation was conducted by the Kanawha Bureau of Investigations.