Published: June 20, 2009 11:59 pm      

Keyser man awaiting sentencing

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A 46-year-old Keyser resident entered guilty pleas to various drug charges Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Martinsburg before Chief Judge John Preston Bailey.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that Eric Patrick Floyd was a significant cocaine dealer in the Keyser area of Mineral County from the summer of 2002 until his arrest in November of 2008.

Floyd admitted to being involved in a conspiracy to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine during that time period. In addition, Floyd entered guilty pleas to nine counts of distribution of cocaine during 2006-2008; two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Task Force officers executed a search warrant at Floyd’s residence on March 4, 2008, and recovered 696.8 grams of cocaine packaged for sale and 180.6 grams of marijuana.

Floyd, who is currently in custody pending sentencing, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment and a fine of $4,000,000 on the conspiracy count; 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 on each of the distribution counts; 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000,000 on the first possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute charge; 40 years imprisonment and a fine of $2,000,000 on the second possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute charge; and five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana charge.

The forfeiture of Floyd’s residence; two automobiles; $16,874.21 in U.S. currency and 28 items of personal property including several flat screen televisions, a Bose sound system, cameras, and other electronics will be decided by the court at sentencing.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas O. Mucklow and Shawn Angus Morgan. The case was investigated by the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, consisting of officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, West Virginia State Police and its Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Department.