BECKLEY, WV – REGINALD AVENT, 35, of Virginia Beach, VA, was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston to 33 months in prison for possession of contraband by a federal inmate. AVENT previously pleaded guilty in November 2007, admitting that in July 2007, he possessed a quantity of heroin while he was incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution–Beckley (FCI-Beckley), located in Beaver, WV. AVENT was serving a 228 month sentence for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The sentence imposed today will run consecutively to AVENT'S sentence imposed for the crack cocaine and gun violations.

In an unrelated case, LARRELL SIMMONS, of Louisville, KY, was sentenced by Judge Johnston to 28 months' imprisonment for possessing a homemade knife while he was incarcerated at FCI-Beckley. SIMMONS pleaded guilty in October 2007, admitting he possessed the weapon on May 23, 2007, while serving a 60-month sentence for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. SIMMONS' sentence will also run consecutively to his original sentence.

The Bureau of Prison and the Federal Bureau of Investigations jointly conducted the investigations. Special Assistant United States Attorney Debbie Stevens and Assistant United States Attorney John L. File handled the prosecutions.