MORGANTOWN — An Ohio man will spend 30 years behind bars for distributing drugs and illegally possessing a gun.
Emory Chiles, of Stubenville, Ohio, was sentenced this week in the Northern District of West Virginia, a press release stated.
A jury found the 43-year-old guilty for possession with intent to distribute heroin, use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug offense, and unlawful possession of a firearm in April.
The crimes occurred in Monongalia County in November 2017. Chiles has previous felony convictions in the Northern District of West Virginia, according to the release.
“When illegal drug distribution is combined with firearms, it represents a clear and present danger to the citizens of this district that won’t be tolerated,” United States Attorney Bill Powell said. “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.”
The case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. The program has historically been successful in bringing multiple levels of law enforcement together to reduce violent crime.
Zelda E. Wesley, assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuted the case on the behalf of the government. The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
The Dominion Post previously reported that Chiles was arrested after a traffic stop on I-79 for a broken taillight by the sheriff’s department.
The license plate did not belong to the vehicle and a police dog indicated there were drugs in the vehicle. In total, 112 grams of heroin were found in two bags.
