U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh | U.S. Department of Justice
Seven individuals involved in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy linked to the murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler have been sentenced in federal court this week. Misty Lynn Ward, Anthony Holmes, and Keri Leanna Corbin were sentenced yesterday. Holmes received 130 months, Ward 30 months, and Corbin was given time served of 24 months and 19 days.
Earlier this week, Kacie Lynn Werner, Amanda Blanton, Lucille Vanover, and Tiny Westmoreland also received sentences. Werner and Blanton each received 36 months, Westmoreland got 60 months, while Vanover was sentenced to time served of 24 months and 17 days.
In previous sentencing related to the conspiracy: Timothy Ray Jones received 235 months; Charles Ryan Bowman got 120 months; Elicia Amber Burns was sentenced to 172 months; James Brian Mullins to 180 months; Justin Dwayne Skaggs to 132 months; Tyler Lee Westmoreland to 54 months; Hailee Dietz and Paul Jones each got 121 months; James Ray Worley received a sentence of 120 months.
The case involves a total of nineteen defendants charged with conspiring to distribute over fifteen kilograms of methamphetamine along with heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents, from August 2021 until their arrest, these individuals trafficked methamphetamine from Tennessee into southwest Virginia for further distribution in Wise County.
On November 13, 2021, Officer Chandler responded to a welfare check at "the red house" on Orr Street in Big Stone Gap. He encountered a vehicle outside the residence where he was shot by Michael Donivan White. Officer Chandler succumbed to his injuries later that evening. White was found at a motel in Kingsport with the firearm used in the shooting. Indicted on federal and state charges for killing Officer Chandler, White pled guilty in both cases and is scheduled for sentencing on February 20-21, 2024.
The announcement came from United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanagh and Anthony A. Spotswood from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The investigation involved multiple agencies including ATF, Virginia State Police, U.S. Marshal’s Service among others.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone are leading the prosecution.
