Diana Man Charged with Felony Conspiracy Charge

Burton Wendell McCourt

Earlier this week, a Diana man was charged with a felony Conspiracy charge in connection with meth labs allegedly operated by Ora Wisner on February 14, 2013.

Burton Wendell McCourt, age 20, of 136 Shady Creek Road in Diana, was charged with the felony crime of Conspiracy in a criminal complaint filed by West Virginia State Trooper S.G. Blake. McCourt voluntarily surrendered and appeared before a Magistrate, where he was arraigned on the charge and subsequently posted bail.

According to the criminal complaint, on February 14, 2013, Trooper Blake, along with Webster County Deputy Sheriff Rick Clayton and members of the Webster Springs and Cowen Police Departments, were assisting Child Protective Services' worker Charles Myers in reference to possible drug activity at McCourt's residence. The complaint states that multiple meth labs were found in and around McCourt's residence.

Upon searching McCourt, officers allegedly found a coffee filter (an item commonly used in the manufacture of meth) in McCourt's wallet. McCourt allegedly advised the officers that Wisner gave him the filter to keep. The complaint says McCourt admitted to purchasing pseudo ephedrine for other unnamed individuals, while knowing the purpose of the pseudo ephedrine was to manufacture meth. Sergeant L.C. Carpenter obtained a confession from Wisner in which Wisner allegedly admitted to making meth at McCourt's residence.

McCourt was also arrested on February 14, 2013 for the misdemeanor crimes of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Hydrocodone. Coriana Lyn Christian was also arrested on felony charges along with Wisner on February 14, 2013. For our prior story on the previous arrests of McCourt, Wisner, and Christian, please click on this link:

http://webstercommentator.blogspot.com/2013/02/late-night-meth-arrest-lands-three.html

If convicted of the felony Conspiracy charge, McCourt faces a prison sentence of not less than one but not more than five years. An arrest is not an indication of a person's guilt, but is merely a formal charge that an officer had probable cause to believe a person may have committed a crime.