Fayette County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for his Role in a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Defendant is the latest to be sentenced out of nearly two dozen defendants after long-term narcotics investigation

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. –  A Fayette County man was sentenced today to federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jonathan O. Brockman, 34, of Kimberly, Fayette County, was sentenced to 108 months, or 9 years, in federal prison.   Stuart commended the joint investigation conducted by several agencies, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Beckley Police Department, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service also provided assistance throughout the investigation.

“Brockman was selling heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone and marijuana,”  said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Deadly, deadly, deadly drugs.  And he was making bank.  Big bank.  But now, in addition to serving 9 years in a “federal inn,”  Brockman will forfeit all his illicitly gained ‘bank and bling’ to the United States and the American people.”

Brockman previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, a quantity of fentanyl, a quantity of oxycodone, and a quantity of marijuana for remuneration.  He previously admitted that he worked with another member of the drug trafficking organization to purchase a kilogram of heroin for the purpose of distributing heroin in and around Fayette County.  Brockman further admitted to distributing oxycodone tablets in and around Fayette County.  Brockman also admitted that on June 28, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and on other property.  During the search police officers recovered approximately 14 kilograms of marijuana at Brockman’s residence, 200 oxycodone tablets, and 75 tablets that contained a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and oxycodone.  Brockman intended to distribute all of the controlled substances recovered in and around Fayette County.  Police officers also recovered over $182,000 in cash, 11 firearms, and a boat and trailer that Brockman admitted had been purchased with drug proceeds.  Brockman agreed to forfeit the cash and boat as part of his plea agreement. 

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution.  Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence.

Several other individuals implicated as a result of this investigation have entered guilty pleas to drug charges and are awaiting sentencing.  James Rodney Staples, of Woodbridge, Virginia, faces at least 10 years in federal prison and up to life when he is sentenced on August 13, 2018 after entering a plea to conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than 280 grams of cocaine base, and more than one kilogram of heroin.  Karl Funderburk previously entered a guilty plea to using and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and is also scheduled for sentencing on August 13, 2018.  George E. Brockman, II, of Montgomery, entered a plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, a quantity of cocaine, and a quantity of oxycodone and is also scheduled for sentencing on August 13, 2018.  He faces at least five years and up to 40 years in federal prison.

Several defendants in this case have already been sentenced.  Velarian Carter of Beckley was recently sentenced to 240 months, or 20 years in federal prison for his participation in this drug trafficking organization.  His sentence was ordered to run consecutively to a 20 year sentence Mr. Carter is already serving on unrelated drug charges.  Detria Carter of Beckley, the sister of Velarian Carter, was recently sentenced to 151 months, or 12 years and seven months in federal prison.  Cheyenne Fragale and Macon Fragale, brothers from Boomer in Fayette County, were sentenced to 12 years, and 16 years and 8 months in prison, respectively.  Rory White of Montgomery was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison.  Tiffany Ramsey, also from Boomer, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.  Dominic Copney, of Beckley, has been sentenced to 2 years in federal prison. Donald Scalise, of Montgomery, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone. 

On July 10 and July 11, 2018, Judge David A. Faber sentenced Esau Burnett, of Beckley, to 66 months in federal prison, Shawn Akiem Anderson, of Mount Hope, to 108 months in federal prison, and Shaun Jones, also of Beckley, to 120 months in federal prison.  He also sentenced to Jonathan V. Moore, and Charles Hill, both of Beckley to 97 months and 60 months, respectively.  Corey Larkin, of Beckley, was previously sentenced to 188 months in federal prison after he was determined to be a career offender.

David Shaun Coleman of Boomer was previously sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, while Rashaun Carter of Beckley and Derrick Staples of Charleston were each sentenced to 121 months in federal prison.

These cases are being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.

Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews  

 
###