PROSECUTOR TARGETS CITY DRUG MARKET

HUNTINGTON -- New U.S. Attorney R. Booth Goodwin pledged he will
contribute and gather additional resources to help Huntington fight
what he called an unfortunate reputation as the region's hub for drug
trafficking.

Goodwin, confirmed as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West
Virginia in May, praised area law enforcement, prosecutors and
community leaders for making great strides in the battle thus far.
Now he plans to join in the fight as a partner -- not a white knight
- -- and make Huntington's drug problem the focus of his administration.

During a Wednesday morning meeting with The Herald-Dispatch editorial
board, he vowed to assign more prosecutors to what he anticipates
will be a growing number of drug prosecutions.

The added effort also will include cooperation from the West Virginia
National Guard. Goodwin said his office has entered into an agreement
with the National Guard for one of its members to be housed in the
U.S. Attorney's Office. That guard member's mission will be to pool
and analyze intelligence information. His efforts will aid Goodwin
and his assistants in deciding which cases should be prosecuted in
federal court.

Goodwin said his predecessors had used National Guard resources on
more of an as-needed basis.

"We need to turn that tide, that perception," he said of Huntington's
reputation. "In sending the message back to points outside of this
district, 'If you come here, it's not worth it. If you come here to
peddle your drugs, it's not going to be worth it.' That's what I'm
committed to."

The Ripley, W.Va., previously had served as an assistant in the
Southern District office since January 2001.

Goodwin was joined Wednesday by his special advisor, Assistant U.S.
Attorney Steve Ruby. Both acknowledged crime problems in other areas
of the district, but they regard Huntington's as particularly serious.

"We are committed to prosecuting more cases in Huntington," Ruby
said. "We're going to devote more prosecutor time, more prosecutor
resources to produce a significant increase in the number of cases."

Goodwin said he hopes those results will attract additional resources
from other federal agencies, such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement
Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"If we can demonstrate that we have a plan, that we're executing that
plan well, the resources will come," he said.

Ruby and Goodwin said Huntington's drug market brings addicts from
the same areas as the city's legitimate retailers, hospitals and
entertainment venues attract customers. Those addicts increase demand
to such a high level that it attracts drug supplies from Detroit,
central Ohio and Florida. They said drugs of choice remain OxyContin
and other prescription medicines, along with crack cocaine, marijuana
and heroin.

In regard to prescription drug abuse, Goodwin said he remains
committed to prosecuting doctors who authorize illegitimate
prescriptions. He expressed satisfaction with a strategy aimed at
targeting doctors for misuse of their DEA numbers. He said that is a
more efficient way to secure convictions that deter doctors from such
criminal activity.

Goodwin said fighting back requires law enforcement and prosecutorial
action, but it also requires significant community involvement.

"One thing that can't continue is apathy," he said.

Goodwin's strategy will include ways for the community to get
involved. He said the best first step is for community members to
call police if they suspect drug activity. Any less participation
leaves the community member no room to gripe, Goodwin said.

"Everybody has a piece of this," he said. "The police can't be
everywhere at all times."