Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Witness Retaliation

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man pleaded guilty today to retaliation against a government witness.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from July 2021 through August 11, 2021, David Stanley, 46, of Bolt, admitted to sending multiple intimidating and threatening messages through Facebook Messenger to a witness in a federal criminal case against Stanley’s brother.

Stanley is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

Stanley’s brother, Charles Stanley, 51, of Shady Springs, pleaded guilty on February 3, 2022, to aiding and abetting the destruction of an energy facility and awaits sentencing. According to court documents and statements made in court, Charles Stanley admitted to working with others to steal multiple pieces of specialized mining equipment in May and June, 2019, from the energy facility, located in Boone and Lincoln counties, resulting in more than $5,000 in damage.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for conducting the investigation.

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson, John File and Negar Kordestani are prosecuting the case.

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. 2:21-cr-144.

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