MARTINSBURG — Officials announced the indictment of nine Eastern Panhandle residents allegedly involved in a multi-state drug-trafficking enterprise, with the main drug house operating out of Philadelphia.
In total, 22 people are facing charges in this case, which is dubbed the “19th Street Enterprise,” as announced in a press conference Wednesday afternoon at War Memorial Park in Martinsburg. Nineteenth Street is the location of the drug house in Philly.
The 22 individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Wheeling on Oct. 7 on charges involving the drug distribution operation spanning Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia — including Berkeley and Jefferson counties — Delaware, North Carolina and the territory of Puerto Rico from June 2019 to October.
The criminal enterprise consisted of racketeering to hide thousands of dollars in proceeds from drug sales, acts of violence and the distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride.
“Protecting the community is both my biggest responsibility and greatest honor,” U.S. Attorney Bill Powell of the Northern District of West Virginia said in a press release. “This case involves a tangled web of drugs, violence and money and it was being orchestrated by those outside of our state, with enough fentanyl to kill two and (a) half times the population of West Virginia. We will not tolerate others preying on our residents and will continue to work to bring all of those who do so to justice.”
Arrested and charged locally were: Kathryn Annette Batis, also known as “Kitty,” 35; Joshua Raymond, 32; Barbara Jean Feltner, 32; Maxwell Edward Sanderlin, 33; Kevin Gene Barron, 44; Bonnie Lou Breeden, 51; and Rebecca Branham, 50, all of Martinsburg; Arnel Hategekimana, also known as “Homie,” 21, of Harpers Ferry; and John Suffare Beavers, II, 34, of Hedgesville.
Others charged include: Christopher Arthur Jones, also known as “Smooth,” 35; Gregory Reese, also known as “Geez,” 38; Tyrone Kareem Thomas, also known as “Mack,” 40; Eric Jones, 36; Catia Quinones, 36; Christian Lamar Goode, also known as “Lil Chris,” 35; Dominic Asquith, also known as “Dom,” 35; Michael Davon Moore, also known as “Smiley,” 26; Anthony Peterson, also known as “Ant Man,” 34; Cody Xavier Brown, also known as “Bricks,” 21; Brian Jones, also known as “B,” 61, all of Philadelphia, Philadelphia; Keyontray Daniel Johnson, also known as “38,” 24, of Worton, Maryland; and Andre Jason Burgos, also known as “Ghost,” 30, of Wilmington, Delaware.
The indictment charges 11 of the 22 defendants with crimes under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering statute. These racketeering-based statutes provide criminal penalties up to life imprisonment for acts performed as part of a criminal organization and support charges for those who only ordered or assisted others to carry out the illegal acts.
The indictment alleges that the “19th Street Enterprise” enriched the leaders, members and associates of the enterprise through among other things, acts of violence, robbery, money laundering and drug trafficking.
“That is important, because what differentiates this case from other cases is this enterprise did not just involve themselves in the violation of the drug trafficking laws but they committed various other acts to perpetuate and profit including robberies, acts of violence, money laundering, wire fraud, mail fraud and other statue violations,” Randolph Bernard, first assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, explained. “The RICO law was created for just the case where you have an ongoing criminal enterprise that is engaged in a pattern of criminal activities or racketeering activities.”
The grand jury returned a total of 22 counts involving the illegal activities taking place in Berkeley and Jefferson counties. Officials said this enterprise operated from the “top down,” with Jones at the top.
According to the indictment, in Count 2, Jones conspired with the others to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl from on or about June 1, 2019, to on or about Oct. 6 in Berkeley County and elsewhere.
Bernard said this case has been a more than two-year investigation by the FBI; the Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia Air National Guard; and the West Virginia State Police investigated. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office assisted.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force is made up of local agencies in Berkeley and Jefferson counties. Representing those agencies in attendance Wednesday were Berkeley County Sheriff Curtis Keller, Jefferson County Sheriff Pete Dougherty, Martinsburg Chief George Swartwood, Deputy Chief Erin Gibbons, Charles Town Chief Chris Kutcher, Ranson Capt. Todd Lutman and Berkeley County Prosecutor Catie Wilkes-Delligatti.
“The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be a partner with the coordinated effort of local, state and federal law enforcement officials to take action to protect the people in the Eastern Panhandle from the importation of drugs that are literally killing people,” Dougherty said. “Our office is an active member of the task force and pleased to assist in the securing the arrest if the defendants in this case. We continue to support the efforts to disrupt and destroy the importation of dangerous drugs into our community.”
Bernard added that during the commission of these crimes, the individuals also possessed guns, knives and cell phone jammers, which “gives an idea of how sophisticated the enterprise was.”
“Everyone has a choice,” Scott Argiro, assistant special agent in charge, FBI Pittsburgh Division, said. “I choose you if you are thinking about getting involved in the drug trade or are currently involved in the drug trade, not to continue down that path. I promise you that operations like these will not stop. My agents and law enforcement partners and prosecutors will have a relentless determination to eradicate the drug-fuled gang violence plaguing our communities.”
Mike Prado, assistant special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations, said the community has suffered greatly due to these types of organizations.
“Men, women and especially the children around West Virginia and surrounding region, have paid the price as we know in pain, suffering and loss of loved ones due to the greed of these individuals and organizations,” he said. “I think it is fitting we are conducting this press conference in a community park. That is what it is all about when you are talking about in drug investigations is really making the community safe to be able to partake in community activities, and an investigation certainly goes a long way in doing that.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force under the attorney general-led Synthetic Opioid Surge /Special Operations Division Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the attorney general of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Powell reminds that an indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
