CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - Eleven were arrested today after a federal grand jury returned an indictment against 17 individuals from Michigan and West Virginia on charges involving heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine distribution, as well as firearms, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
“Today’s arrests are yet another example of the determined and consistent efforts of our drug task forces. I applaud the DEA, ATF, and the Mon Metro Drug Task Force on the hard work on this case, not only arresting those dealing from our state, but targeting out-of-state distributors who continue to plague our communities. We will never stop prosecuting those who sell poison on our streets," said Powell.
Seventeen individuals were named in a 72-count indictment, alleging a conspiracy to distribute heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine in Monongalia County and elsewhere from the summer of 2017 to September 2018. Those indicted are:
• Maurice Swift, age 38, of Highland Park, Michigan
• Travon Evans, age 26, of Detroit, Michigan
• Raymond Edison, age 30, of Detroit, Michigan
• Daron Buford, age 27, of Detroit, Michigan
• Darius Dunbar, age 24, of Southfield, Michigan
• Juan Holmes, age 27, of Port St. Lucie, Florida
• Geronda Wilson, age 42, of Detroit, Michigan
• Marsawn Daggins, age 34, of Southfield, Michigan
• Brian Ray Kyle, age 39, of Maidsville, West Virginia
• Carissa Moore, age 27, of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Christopher Howard, age 32, of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Haley Hunt, age 25, of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Daniel Payne, age 31, of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Tina Hart, age 40, of Granville, West Virginia
• Hamisi Mwawari, age 44, of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Katina Sabatino, age 25, of Morgantown, West Virginia
• Preston Jeffrey Smith, age 24, of Morgantown, West Virginia
Of the 17 defendants, 11 were detained. Those wanted are:
Daron Buford
Juan Holmes
Daniel Payne
Hamisi Mwawari
Marsawn Daggins
Preston Smith
“Drug dealers with guns are violent criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities," stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey of the Louisville Field Division. “ATF, along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate, arrest and pursue prosecution of these offenders."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted in the arrests.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
