DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Northern District of West Virginia

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Bill Powell
, United States Attorney
Contact: Stacy Bishop

Jefferson County, Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug Distribution and Firearms Charges

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Emory Chiles, of Steubenville, Ohio, was sentenced this week to 360 months incarceration for drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
 
"When illegal drug distribution is combined with firearms it represents a clear and present danger to the citizens of this district and won’t be tolerated. This sentence sends a strong message to those engaging in this type of conduct that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, " said Powell.
 
A jury found Chiles, age 43, guilty of one count of "Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin," one count of "Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Offense," and one count of "Unlawful Possession of a Firearm" in April 2018. Chiles distributed heroin and possessed a 9mm pistol in Monongalia County in November 2017. Chiles was previously convicted of a felony in the Northern District of West Virginia.
 
"Drug dealers with guns are violent criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities," stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey of the Louisville Field Division. "ATF and our local partners will aggressively investigate, arrest and pursue prosecution of these offenders."
 
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
 
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
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Louisville Field Division