BECKLEY, W.
Va. – Bryan T. Cross, 43, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2025, a law enforcement officer in a vehicle encountered Cross operating a four-wheeler on a Beckley street. As part of his guilty plea, Cross admitted that he ran a red light to get away from the law enforcement vehicle, flipped over the four-wheeler, and was caught by the officer when he tried to flee on foot. Cross further admitted that he was handcuffed and taken into custody after a brief struggle, and that a HS Produkt .40-caliber handgun fell out of his pants as he was taken to a law enforcement vehicle.
Officers searched the four-wheeler after taking Cross into custody and found approximately 51 grams of cocaine. As part of his guilty plea, Cross admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine and used and carried the firearm in relation to his possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Cross is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, a consecutive mandatory minimum five years and up to life in prison for use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,250,000.
At the time of the current offense, Cross was serving a term of supervised release following his felony conviction for distribution of cocaine on April 15, 2015, in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-6.