Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun Charges
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who was caught with methamphetamine and a gun in Huntington in 2018 pled guilty today to federal charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Brandon Douglas Tomblin, 35, entered guilty pleas in federal court in Huntington to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
“Strong partnerships have led to dramatic decreases in violent crime in Huntington,” said United State Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are prosecuting record numbers of drug and gun defendants like Tomblin.”
On July 29, 2018, an officer with the Huntington Police Department was on patrol along 15th Street in Huntington when he initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Tomblin for nearly hitting a parked car. Subsequent to Tomblin’s arrest, the officer located approximately 22 grams of a white crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine. On August 4, 2018, an officer with the Huntington Police Department responded to 401 Bridge Street in Huntington for report of a suspicious person. The officer detained the individual who was identified as Tomblin, at which time the officer observed a gun nearby, specifically a .357 Sig Sauer pistol. The officer also located drugs on Tomblin’s person in an amount consistent with drug trafficking.
Tomblin faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on August 19, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.