Huntington Woman Sentenced for Federal Pill Conviction

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington woman was sentenced yesterday to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of federal supervised release with the first six months to be served on home confinement, for her role in a pain pill conspiracy interrupted by police, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Lorie A. Mayhon, 43, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone in federal court in Huntington. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the West Virginia State Police.

“Great work by DEA and the West Virginia State Police to intercept these pills before they were distributed throughout Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “We’re working hard every day to lock up drug dealers that have caused so much havoc in that city.”

Mayhon admitted that on September 15, 2017, she assisted in arranging the sale of oxycodone pills to a confidential informant working with the DEA. The drug deal was scheduled to take place at a residence on Collis Avenue in Huntington, where the informant met with Mayhon and codefendants Joseph Melbar and Curtis Holcomb to complete the transaction. After discussing the terms of the deal – 500 oxycodone pills in exchange for $20,000 cash, Mayhon and Holcomb left Melbar’s residence to pick up another codefendant to acquire the pills. After the codefendants picked up the pills, a trooper with the West Virginia State Police conducted a traffic stop on their vehicle on Artisan Avenue in Huntington.  During the stop, the trooper seized 454 thirty mg oxycodone pills that Holcomb had concealed in his sock.     

Holcomb was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and Melbar was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for their respective roles in the conspiracy. 

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.

This case was 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 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 pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District. 

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