Six charged in connection with drug dealing in Berkeley County recently pleaded guilty

Two others have pleaded guilty in unrelated cases to charges of bank fraud and abusive sexual contact

May 08, 2012

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Six men charged in connection with crack cocaine dealing in Martinsburg and Berkeley County recently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Martinsburg to distribution and possession charges, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II announced Tuesday.

Two other individuals have pleaded guilty in unrelated cases to charges of bank fraud and abusive sexual contact, respectively, according to a news release.

Tyrone Aaron Eldridge, 26, of Bunker Hill, W.Va., Heath Toddley Redman, 32, of Martinsburg, William Ronald Monroe, 32, and Vonzelle Wade Carey, 33, each pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of crack cocaine, according to Ihlenfeld’s office. No address was listed for Monroe or Carey.

Raymond Bantan, 38, and Brandon Lee Spaur, 25, both of Martinsburg, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, according to the release.

Derran Hankins, 30, of Randallstown, Md., pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and Ronald G. Kisner II, 26, of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact.

Eldridge, Redman and Bantan, who were accused of distributing the drug in Martinsburg, each face a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Due to prior felony convictions, Monroe and Carey face up to 30 years in prison and a maximum $2 million fine, according to Ihlenfeld’s announcement. Carey was accused of distributing crack cocaine in Martinsburg and Monroe was accused of distribution in Falling Waters, according to Ihlenfeld’s announcement.

Spaur, who faces between five and 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine, was accused of possession of 37.9 grams of crack cocaine with intent to deliver it in Berkeley County, according to the announcement.

Hankins is accused of developing a scheme to defraud SunTrust Bank by using false identification to obtain $48,500. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Kisner’s alleged offense dates back to Nov. 28, 2011, at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in Jefferson County, according to the announcement.

He faces a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the announcement.

The cases were prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Thomas O. Mucklow, Erin K. Reisenweber and Paul T. Camilletti. Investigation of crimes involved members of the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the U.S. Secret Service and the Arlington, Va., Police Department.

|

|

|