Former Kanawha County Deputy Pleads Guilty to Lying to the FBI

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former Kanawha County Deputy pled guilty today to lying to the FBI, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Robert Dwight Evans, 52, entered his guilty plea to providing materially false information to the FBI before United States District Irene C. Berger.  Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the cooperation of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department.

“It is always difficult and disappointing when a law enforcement officer turns to the dark side,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Lying to an FBI agent as part of an investigation is not only fundamentally unacceptable but, frankly, it could place lives in danger and frustrate the administration of justice.  Evans knew better.  Someone that was a member of the circle of trust in the protection of the public has a tremendous responsibility to represent with dignity and honor the oath he took and, sadly, that oath was violated in a terrible way.”  

On June 28, 2017, an FBI agent interviewed Evans at his residence in Cross Lanes during an investigation of a drug trafficking ring operating in and around Montgomery, West Virginia.  Agents knew that Evans had been purchasing opioid pain medication from one of the targets of the investigation and asked him questions about his dealings with members of the organization.  Evans denied having purchased the drugs and claimed to have no knowledge of the target’s involvement in drug trafficking.  Upon being confronted by a Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department internal investigation, Evans resigned his position.

Evans faces up to five years in federal prison when he is sentenced on February 13, 2019.   Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.

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