Ohio man sentenced in federal court for heroin distribution

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that Ralph Shoemaker, 36, of Gallipolis, Ohio, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers to 15 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Shoemaker previously pled guilty in December of 2014 admitting that he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with the West Virginia State Police. Shoemaker also admitted that he and others distributed heroin in the Gallipolis, Ohio, and Mason County, West Virginia areas over a six-month period between the summer of 2012 and March of 2013.

This case was 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 heroin and prescription drugs.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal heroin and pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.

The case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney John Frail was responsible for the prosecution.