Department of Justice

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Dustin L. White, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a drugs and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

 

White, age 31, is charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine,” one count of “False Statement to Acquire Firearm,” three counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking.” White is accused of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine from July 2018 to March 2019 in Marshall County and elsewhere. White, a person prohibited from having firearms, is also accused of possessing a two pistols, a revolver, and a shotgun in Marshall County in February and March 2019.

 

White faces five years to life incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearm during drug trafficking charge, up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy charge and the methamphetamine charge, and up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the cocaine and other firearms counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

 

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.