Four Drug Defendants Sentenced In Federal Court In Bluefield

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that four defendants convicted of drug offenses were sentenced by Senior United States District Judge David A.Faber in federal court in Bluefield today.  Richard Travis Robinette, Jr., 40, of Garland, West Virginia, was sentenced to six years in prison for distributing oxycodone pills.  Robinette pled guilty in November of 2013, admitting that on September 16, 2010, he distributed ten oxycodone pills to a person cooperating with law enforcement authorities.  The transaction took place at or near Avondale, West Virginia.  Mr. Robinette admitted that he was involved in the distribution of a total of 400 oxycodone pills.  In a related case, Tobi LaDawn Jones, 25, of Avondale, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for using a telephone to commit a felony drug offense.  Jones pled guilty in November, admitting that she had used a telephone to set up the distribution of 13 oxycodone pills by an individual to a person cooperating with authorities.  The drug transaction also took place near Avondale.  Ms. Jones also admitted to being involved in additional drug transactions.  The cases were investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.

Faith Akers, 45, of Princeton, was sentenced to one year and one month for distributing hydromorphone pills.  Akers pled guilty in November of 2013, when she admitted that on May 15, 2013, she distributed two hydromorphone pills to a person cooperating with authorities near Princeton.  She further admitted that she was involved in distributing two hydromorphone pills on May 14 and one hydromorphone pill on May 15, 2013. 

Terry Testerman, 61, of Bluewell, was sentenced to nine months of time served for distributing oxycodone pills.  Testerman pled guilty in September of 2013, admitting that on February 3, 2012,  he distributed two oxycodone pills to a person assisting law enforcement authorities in Bluewell.  In addition, Mr. Testerman admitted that he distributed approximately five more oxycodone pills at various times. 

The Akers and Testerman cases were investigated by the West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and were prosecuted under the Bluefield Pill Initiative.  All of the cases were 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 prescription drugs and heroin.  The U. S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.