HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man and woman who participated a multistate drug ring were sentenced to federal prison today, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Corey Bruce Toney, 27, was sentenced to 10 years and three months in prison for distributing heroin. Tanisha Lynette Wooding, 37, was sentenced to a year and a half in prison for possession with intent to distribute crack.
On September 29, 2015, a confidential informant working with the Drug Enforcement Administration contacted Toney to arrange a heroin deal. Toney agreed to meet the informant, who was accompanied by undercover agents. Toney subsequently distributed 10 grams of heroin to the informant in exchange for $1,250. Agents were able to make numerous additional controlled purchases of heroin from Toney and others during the course of the investigation.
Toney also admitted that from the summer of 2014 to May of 2016, he conspired with others to distribute large quantities of drugs in the Huntington and Charleston areas, including heroin, crack, cocaine, marijuana, and Xanax. Toney admitted that he was supplied large quantities of heroin and cocaine for distribution by codefendant Atari Seantay Brown after the drugs were transported to the Huntington area from Detroit. Toney further admitted that he maintained a leadership role in the conspiracy, and that he possessed a number of firearms during the conspiracy.
On May 18, 2016, after a federal grand jury returned an indictment in this case, agents executed arrest warrants and search warrants at eight residences in Detroit, Proctorville, Ohio, and Huntington, including Wooding’s residence located on the 1800 block of 9th Avenue in Huntington. During the searches, agents seized large quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack, marijuana, $120,531 in cash, and a total of 41 firearms.
Wooding was arrested on May 18, 2016, and admitted that she was in possession of crack when agents executed the search warrant at her residence. During the search, agents seized approximately two ounces of crack stored in the residence. Wooding admitted to conspiring with Brown and others to distribute crack in Huntington for approximately one year. During this period, Brown regularly supplied Wooding with crack. After Wooding sold the crack, she returned the proceeds to Brown and received additional quantities of crack. Wooding also admitted that she was responsible for the distribution of up to 840 grams of crack during the conspiracy.
Brown previously pleaded guilty to distributing heroin and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2017. In addition to Toney, Wooding, and Brown, seven additional defendants have been convicted for their roles in this drug ring. Sean Lee Braggs, Samuel E. Nelson, III, Deandra Sheen Jones, and Roy Bills have all pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and are awaiting sentencing. Arthur James Canada was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison, Matthew Michael Meadows was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison, and Parker Wyatt Mays was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for their respective roles in the conspiracy.
These prosecutions arose out of a long-term investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the West Virginia State Police, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is in charge of the prosecutions. Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences and is presiding over these cases.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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