Ten Indicted for Drug Trafficking in Ohio County

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - Ten people have been indicted for the trafficking of drugs in Ohio County, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.

Defendants from Ohio and West Virginia have been charged with the sale of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Two of the defendants have also been charged with the illegal possession of firearms.

"Continued pressure from law enforcement on drug traffickers will ensure that the downward trend in overdoses we are experiencing continues," said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. "This latest round of indictments, combined with ongoing treatment and prevention efforts, will help to loosen the grip that addiction has upon communities in West Virginia."

Eight of the ten individuals charged have been arrested, to include:

• Antoine Blanchard, also known as "Reggie" and "Cadillac Hill," 49, of Steubenville, Ohio, charged with the distribution and possession of cocaine and the distribution of methamphetamine;
• Harold Wayne Nice, 40, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of methamphetamine;
• Robert Kelly Rogers, 51, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin;
• Charles Smith Rippy, 69, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of cocaine base;
• Stephen J. Booker, also known as "Flock," 31, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition;
• Alyssa Marie Abrigg, 33, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine; and
• Don Speir McFarland, 30, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
• Jeremy Brandon Evans, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and the unlawful possession of a firearm.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Nogay and Clayton Reid are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.

The cases were investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Task Force consists of personnel from the Wheeling Police Department, the Ohio County Sheriff's Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the West Virginia State Police.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.