Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Shawn Anthony Graves, 29, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Graves admitted to possessing approximately 15.4 grams of crack and 4.5 grams of cocaine found by law enforcement officers when they executed a search warrant at a 14th Street residence on November 7, 2019. Graves admitted he intended to distribute the controlled substances, and further admitted to selling additional quantities of crack at the 14th Street residence  on September 26, 2019 and October 28, 2019, each time to a confidential informant.

During the November 7, 2019, search of the 14th Street residence, officers also found three loaded firearms: an Eagle Arms AR15 .223-caliber rifle; a Springfield XDS 9mm pistol; and a Taurus Judge Public Defender, .45/.410-caliber pistol. Co-defendant Marshall Lee Graves II was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 24, 2022.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force, and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Cremeans prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-181.

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