Two Parkersburg men plead guilty to federal heroin conspiracy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Parkersburg men pleaded guilty today to a federal heroin conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joseph Reeder-Shaw, 32, and Bernard Spann, 34, entered their guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Parkersburg Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, and the Police Departments of the cities of Parkersburg, Vienna, and Williamstown.

Reeder-Shaw and Spann admitted to their respective involvement with several other individuals in distributing heroin at various locations throughout the Parkersburg area. In addition, Reeder-Shaw admitted to arranging sales of heroin to a confidential informant working with the Parkersburg Drug Task Force and the FBI on numerous occasions between November 2016 and November 2017. Reeder-Shaw further admitted involvement in the distribution of between one and three kilograms of heroin, while Spann, who did not join Reeder-Shaw and others until October 2017, admitted to distributing between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.

Both Reeder-Shaw and Spann face at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on April 19, 2018.

Debra Martin, a codefendant involved in the same conspiracy, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and also faces at least five and up to 40 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on April 5, 2018.

Assistant United States Attorney John Frail is in charge of these prosecutions. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

This case is 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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