HUNTINGTON, WV (WOWK) – Authorities have arrested 42 individuals as part of a Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force investigation.
The Huntington Police Department held a press conference Tuesday, May 24 announcing the arrests, and says they anticipate more arrests with in the coming days and weeks.
According to Huntington Police Chief Karl Colder, the arrests are a result of a month-long investigation involving 10 separate search warrants. The investigation is aimed at reducing violent and drug-related crimes in the city. Holder also says this investigation is only one part of a process that has been in the works for about six months, and expects to have more developments heading into the summer months.
“It’s really based on my experience in law enforcement, and dealing with state and local partners, that we have to start before we get to that point in the summer and try to deal with these things at the last moment,” Colder said. “And of course we’re not finished. Things continue to happen. We want citizens to be safe.
Along with the arrests, authorities say through the 10 search warrants the task force also seized 23 firearms from convicted felons and prohibited persons, seized 358.59 grams of heroin and fentanyl, seized 465 grams of methamphetamines, and seized 3.852 grams of marijuana. Huntington Police Deputy Chief Phil Watkins says three of the firearms were discovered to be stolen.
According to Chief Colder, all of the individuals targeted during the investigation have been wanted for “serious criminal offenses” related to violent crimes and/or drug-related crimes. Authorities say several of those arrested were not from West Virginia.
The HPD says some of those arrested include:
- Antione T. Glanton, 44, of Columbus, Ohio, who was arrested May 2, 2022. Police say he was found to be in possession of more than 100 grams of suspected fentanyl and was charged with fleeing in a vehicle with reckless disregard for the safety of others and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
- Damon Bailes, 30, of Michigan, was arrested May 3, 2022, on various outstanding felony warrants. Police say he was found to be in possession of 102 grams of suspected heroin and a firearm.
- Kori Barnes, 24, of Columbus was arrested May 5, 2022. Police say he was found to be in possession of 24 grams of suspected fentanyl and a stolen firearm. He was charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, transferring and receiving stolen property and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
- Khali Barnes, 22, of Columbus, was arrested May 5, 2022. Police say he was charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and obstruction/fleeing.
- Brandon Lamar McCauley, 30, of Detroit, was arrested May 12, 2022. Police say he was found to be in possession of a firearm and more than 70 grams of suspected fentanyl and heroin. According to the HPD, McCauley was on parole in West Virginia for a voluntary manslaughter conviction stemming from a February 2016 shooting in Marcum Terrace.
- Tyler Workman, 25, of Huntington, was arrested on May 14, 2022, by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office after he and another man robbed (later identified as Johnathon Owens, 23, of Huntington) a Marathon gas station in South Point, Ohio, police say. Earlier that same day, Huntington Police detectives obtained a first-degree robbery warrant for Workman for the armed robbery of the King Mart on May 13 in the 2500 block of Washington Boulevard.
- Johnathon Owens, 23, of Huntington, was arrested May 16, 2022. Police say he was charged with first-degree robbery for the armed robbery of King Mart on May 13.
- Jason Lee McCauley, who had been identified as the suspect in a pair of robberies at the Dollar General in the 300 block of Norway Avenue on April 19 and Smokie’s Smoke Shop in the 1400 block of U.S. 60 on April 30, was arrested May 17, 2022. McCauley has been charged with two counts of armed robbery.
Colder says the HPD’s detective unit, detective bureau and drug unit worked with several partner agencies throughout the investigation including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Federal Prosecutor for the Southern District of West Virginia’s Office; US Marshals; the West Virginia National Guard; the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole Services and the Cabell County Prosecutor’s Office, the Barboursville Police Department and the Lawrence County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.