WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced his resignation from the Department of Justice, effective today at 11:59 a.m.
“Serving as United States Attorney has been an honor and a privilege,” said Mr. Ihlenfeld. “I’m deeply saddened to leave, but as I walk out the door today, I do so with tremendous pride because of all this team has accomplished over the past four years. Drug overdoses have decreased, national security has increased, child predators have been locked up, and white-collar criminals have been held to account.”
Ihlenfeld served as U.S. Attorney from August 2010 until December 2016 and then returned to the position in October 2021. In his most recent term, Ihlenfeld focused on the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking, domestic violence, and white-collar crimes, with a special emphasis on health care fraud and COVID fraud. He also served as chairperson of the executive boards of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA.
The office has been one of the nation’s most active in drug prosecutions, ranking number one in the country in 2024 out of ninety-three U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Cases of note include the indictment of 82 people last January in the dismantling of Baltimore-based fentanyl trafficking organization led by Gary Brown; the indictment of 25 people in February in the takedown of a Philadelphia-based drug network; the charging of 25 people in July in Martinsburg to dismantle a group tied to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel; and the indictment of the Rico McGhee organization in 2023, which halted the top source of illicit drugs to the Ohio Valley.
Efforts to uncover health care fraud were ramped up under Ihlenfeld with the formation of the Mountaineer Health Care Fraud Strike Force. The group has taken a data-driven approach, leveraging sources of information in innovative ways, leading to more new matters. Private sector partnerships have also been formed, leading to a greater sharing of intelligence.
The Northern West Virginia SAR Review team was revamped to ensure that every suspicious activity report filed by financial institutions is reviewed and that more cases are referred for investigation. In-person meetings were resumed, new agencies were added to the team, and data collection was enhanced. Ihlenfeld placed special emphasis on the investigation of elder financial exploitation to better protect older West Virginians.
Ihlenfeld rejoined the U.S. Attorney’s office just in time to help tackle the massive fraud that occurred because of COVID relief money being misused. In addition to the prosecutions that have already occurred, hundreds of matters are currently being investigated, many of which will be brought to court in either criminal or civil proceedings.
Domestic violence initiatives in Berkeley County, Randolph County, and in the Northern Panhandle were developed by Ihlenfeld, leading to significant prison sentences for domestic abusers. In addition, the groundwork has been laid for a pro bono program allowing federal prosecutors to aid victims in obtaining family violence protective orders.
Other cases of note prosecuted over the past four years include:
• Jonathan and Diana Toebbe, husband and wife, who received two of the longest sentences ever imposed for espionage (19 years and 21 years, respectively) after attempting to sell U.S. defense technology to a foreign adversary;
• Ayodele Arosokun received 34 years for orchestrating an international tax scheme;
• Sam Bunner received 10 years after stealing $2 million from an elderly Jefferson County man; • Shelly Leipham received 7 years in a lottery scheme targeting older West Virginians;
• Phillip Conley was sentenced to 7 years for defrauding churches, pastors and others of nearly $5 million in a sophisticated investment scheme;
• Dr. Nitesh Ratnakar of Wheeling was convicted on 41 counts of tax fraud for failing to pay over withholdings from his employees’ paychecks;
• Jeffrey Morris, a Wheeling real estate developer, was sentenced to 5 years after stealing millions from investors;
• Hardy Lloyd of Follansbee was sentenced to more than 6 years for threatening jurors and witnesses in the Pittsburgh Tree of Life trial;
• Jasper and Christine Shook, husband and wife, of Grant County were sentenced to a combined 50 years for production and distribution of child pornography;
• Destiny Somersall of Martinsburg was sentenced to 40 years for human trafficking;
• Daniel Eliazar Ramos Rosa received 27 years for coercing and enticing a 10-year-old Jefferson County girl; and
• David McCauley of Buckhannon faces 10 years for possession of child pornography.
“This office is small but mighty, always punching above its weight class, and regularly bringing cases of national and international significance,” said Ihlenfeld. “We can all take comfort in knowing that this cadre of federal prosecutors will continue to keep West Virginia safe no matter who becomes the next U.S. Attorney.”
Mr. Ihlenfeld will return to the private sector. An Acting U.S. Attorney will be announced later.
For more details on the cases mentioned above, visit www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr. For information on the national rankings of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, visit trac.syr.edu.
