WHEELING, W.Va. — United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld resigned from the Department of Justice, effective today at 11:59 a.m. Monday
“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 the 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.
His office has been one of the most active nationwide for drug prosecutions, finishing 2024 with top ranking in the country ot of 93 U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
Some significant cases include the indictment of 82 people last January in the dismantling of Baltimore-based fentanyl trafficking organization; the takedown of a Philadelphia-based drug and indictment of 25 people in February; dismantling a group in Martinsburg tied to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel; and the indictment of the Rico McGhee organization in 2023, which ended supply from the top source of illicit drugs to the Ohio Valley.
Ihlenfeld was also responsible for 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.
Other cases of note initiated by Ihlenfeld 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.