Date: 07-14-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:16-cr-00041-JPJ-RSB

Judge: James P. Jones

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (Washington County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Zachary T. Lee

Defendant's Attorney: Neil Horn

Description: Abington, VA - Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

Operation Leaving Las Vegas Targeted Methamphetamine and Opioid Shipments from Las Vegas to Southwest Virginia and Kentucky

A Las Vegas man, who trafficked methamphetamine and oxycodone from Nevada to Virginia and laundered the proceeds, was sentenced on July 5, 2018 in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to 324 months in prison, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.

Richard Henry Kayian, 57, was found guilty by a jury in November 2017 of one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine and oxycodone, and one count of money laundering. In addition, Kayian was ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $743,441.

The investigation leading to Kayian’s conviction was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and state and local law enforcement in Southwest Virginia and Las Vegas, Nevada. This collaborative law enforcement effort resulted in 31 defendants entering guilty pleas or being found guilty of crimes related to the distribution of methamphetamine and opioids in Nevada, Virginia and Kentucky.

According to evidence presented at Kayian’s trial and other hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, law enforcement agencies in Virginia and Nevada charged 32 individuals in late 2016 with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone, and buprenorphine and money laundering. Evidence demonstrated that Kayian was responsible for recruiting distributors for the drug trafficking organization and sending large quantities of methamphetamine and oxycodone via UPS and Federal Express to numerous locations in Abingdon, Virginia and Glade Spring, Virginia. These drugs, along with buprenorphine, were then distributed throughout the Southwest Virginia and in Eastern Kentucky by members of the drug trafficking organization. Additionally, evidence gained from the investigation demonstrated that more than $1,000,000 in proceeds from the drug sales in the Abingdon area were sent via wire transfers and bank deposits to Kayian and others in Las Vegas.

Operation Leaving Las Vegas has resulted in the following sentences:

Tracey Allen Callihan, 49, of Glade Spring, Virginia - 324 months imprisonment and ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $30,000.00 for one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and oxycodone, and one count of money laundering.
Brandon Lee Stone, 33, of Abingdon, Virginia – 300 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine, and one count of money laundering.
Misael Reyes Tajimaroa, 32, of Spokane, Washington – 192 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine, and one count of money laundering.
Bradley Lee Chapman, 28, of Bristol, Virginia - 135 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine, and one count of money laundering.
Kaitlynn Elizabeth Chapman, 26, of Bristol, Virginia – 72 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine, and one count of money laundering.
John Williams, 50, of Glade Spring, Virginia – 18 months imprisonment and a $2,500 fine for one count of conspiracy to use a communications facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
Rebecca Williams, 51, of Abingdon, Virginia – 108 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Heather Michelle Sullins, 27, of Abingdon, Virginia – 30 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine.
Alex Michael Kayian, 23, of Bristol, Virginia - 72 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine, and one count of money laundering.
Ralph Stewart Dingus, 27, of Abingdon, Virginia - 37 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
John Dewayne Farmer, 32, of Abingdon, Virginia - 240 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering.
Lola Virginia Farmer, 52, of Abingdon, Virginia - 87 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Shauna Nicole Chafin, 36, of Abingdon, Virginia - 97 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, oxycodone and buprenorphine.
William Wesley Fleenor, 29, of Abingdon, Virginia - 79 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Jeffrey Nathaniel Gobble, 25, of Abingdon, Virginia - 46 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Preston Kyle Lawson, 21, of Abingdon, Virginia - 46 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Gary Chapman, 47, of Clay City, Kentucky - 151 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Daniel Corey Cantrell, 25, of Abingdon, Virginia - 37 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Tanner Morris Curd, 23, of Meadowview, Virginia - 84 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Amy Lorene Moser, 52, of Abingdon, Virginia -100 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Steven Salyer, 27, of Abingdon, Virginia - 87 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Brandon Cody Trivett, 23, of Abingdon, Virginia - 30 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Brian Edward Widener, 30, of Abingdon, Virginia – 46 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Justin Lowe, 24, of Abingdon, Virginia – 41 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Lamar Skipper, 27, of Chilhowie, Virginia - four years probation for one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and one count of money laundering
Gary Brandon Childress, 25, of Abingdon, Virginia - three years probation. for one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.
Austin Obranovic Boardwine, 24, of Abingdon, Virginia - four years probation for one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and buprenorphine.
Caleb Dean, 28, of Damascus, Virginia – 48 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and oxycodone.
Charlene Hale, 25, of Bristol, Tennessee – four years probation for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and oxycodone.



The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, United States Marshals Service, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Virginia State Police, Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Abingdon Police Department, Marion Police Department, and Smyth County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 324 months' in prison.

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