HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A New Jersey man who was caught selling drugs near a school in West Huntington last September was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Eric Moore Bellamy, 51, previously entered guilty pleas to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Police Department.
“We don’t want drug dealers in our communities and this drug dealer should have stayed in New Jersey," said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We certainly won’t tolerate drug peddling near our schools. Get near our children with your poisons and I’m going to hammer you to the fullest extent of the law. Our school zones are drug free zones. Cross that line and it’s a one way ticket to a federal pen."
On Sept. 12, 2018, after officers with the Huntington Police Department developed information that Bellamy was selling drugs in West Huntington, a search warrant was executed at his residence located at 1037 Madison Avenue. During the search, officers seized crack cocaine and heroin from a dresser in the residence. In a separate drawer of the same dresser containing the drugs, officers seized a loaded Springfield.45 caliber pistol, a loaded Ruger Model P85, 9mm pistol, and a loaded Imperial Metal, Model 9,.22 caliber revolver. Bellamy was arrested and admitted to officers that he possessed the drugs and firearms and that he had been selling both crack and heroin in the West Huntington area.
Bellamy’s residence is located within 1,000 feet of Grace Christian School, a private elementary and secondary school. Bellamy admitted at that he possessed the firearms to serve as protection based on his distribution of drugs. Bellamy was also prohibited from possessing firearms based on multiple prior felony convictions he received in the State of New Jersey.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
