WASHINGTON, DC — A West Virginia man is the first person to be placed on the FBI’s new Regional Fugitive list. 42-year-old Samuel Rose, of Martinsburg, is the first person named to the program. In addition, the FBI is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to Rose’s arrest and conviction.
Officials tell WDTV the program is intended to publicize information that will help lead to the apprehension of violent offenders and have a significant impact on the community.
As part of the program, officials say the FBI has identified violent fugitives in the West, Central, and East regions of the country and will work with specific Field Offices to apprehend these subjects.
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to follow leads as part of an active investigation to find and arrest Mr. Rose,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “Drug traffickers have no place in our community. We hope the reward will incentivize someone with information on his whereabouts to come forward.”
In July 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Northern West Virginia returned a 30 count indictment charging 34 people, including Rose, from West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the Dominican Republic for allegedly conducting a drug trafficking operation.
Officials say the operation included large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride with a street value of approximately $471,000. The drugs were transported from Hagerstown, Maryland to locations in Berkeley County, West Virginia from August 2020 to June 2021.
The indictment alleged the drug enterprise run by Rose and other defendants involved a sophisticated operation including the use of a purported business to act as a front for drug trafficking and the laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds.
Authorities say Rose should be considered armed and dangerous is known to frequent the following areas:
Washington, D.C.
Hagerstown, MD
Philadelphia, PA
Newark, NJ
Richmond, VA
Rose is described as a Black male with black hair, brown eyes, 5’6″ to 5’9″ tall, 165-190 pounds, and a scar on his abdomen.