A West Virginia judge has been charged by federal prosecutors with allegedly conspiring with a prosecutor, county commissioner and now-deceased sheriff to stop a confidential informant from talking with the FBI information about his drug deals with the sheriff, according to WSAZ News Channel 3, which covers news in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
According to the news report: the informant was targeted by the sheriff after he tried to collect a $3,000 debt the sheriff owed the informant for making political signs. The sheriff arranged for an undercover informant to try to buy oxycodone from the sign-maker, and the sign-maker was indicted for possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver. But after the sign-maker was arrested he disclosed to the FBI that the sheriff had bought prescription narcotics from him several times. Then the judge, the sheriff and the others allegedly arranged to offer the sign-maker a favorable plea deal if he would fire his attorney, who was assisting the FBI, and replace him with a lawyer allegedly handpicked by the conspirators.
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