A St. Albans man charged with manufacturing cocaine inside a clandestine laboratory at his home will remain jailed after federal prosecutors convinced a magistrate judge that he's a flight risk and danger to the community.
When federal agents raided the home of Christopher Ayash, 47, earlier this month, they found more than 60 guns, along with evidence that cocaine was being made in a room hidden behind a wall in the basement, U.S. Postal Inspector Joshua Mehall told U.S. Magistrate Judge Dwane Tinsley on Wednesday.
The allegations against Ayash mark the first time federal prosecutors have charged someone in West Virginia's Southern District with manufacturing cocaine, according to Mehall.
And it's likely that more charges will soon be filed against Ayash, Tinsley said, after hearing details of an investigation Wednesday from federal agents and prosecutors.
"It appears the government's evidence against you is pretty strong," the judge told Ayash. "Drugs and guns don't go together."
Semi-automatic weapons, silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition were confiscated by federal agents when they searched Ayash's homes in St. Albans and Greenbrier County, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Haley Bunn.
A "pill press" and about 120 other controlled substances were taken from Ayash's homes, according to Mehall, along with a "cocaine handbook" and books about clandestine labs. There is also evidence Ayash is addicted to opioids, cocaine and crystal meth, Bunn said. She cited, among other things, South Central Regional Jail phone calls where Ayash allegedly said he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
In other phone calls from jail, Ayash allegedly told employees at a bar he owns to beat someone until they were near death, and to destroy potential evidence that could be used against him, Bunn said.
He also allegedly spoke to someone about clearing out safety deposit boxes of cash and gold, according to Bunn, and allegedly said that if he had known he wouldn't have been given a bond that he would have never turned himself into police.
Wednesday's hearing was held to determine whether Ayash, a well-known developer and business and bar owner in St Albans, should remain jailed until a trial.
Ayash has the financial resources to flee, Tinsley said, and prosecutors convinced him that Ayash is a danger to the community.
Bunn said Ayash sent a text message to a potential witness that said, "Billy is now called ashes because that's what happens to snitches."
Ayash's brother, Billy Ayash, died last year, Bunn told the judge. Billy Ayash's obituary in Charleston newspapers said he died at the age of 34 and "passed away peacefully in his sleep."
In another text message to a potential witness, Christopher Ayash said he had previously killed a man and been convicted of second-degree murder in South Carolina. Federal agents couldn't find proof of that, and Bunn said Ayash said it to intimidate the witness.
Ayash's attorney, Mark McMillion, denied prosecutors' allegations made and accused federal agents of manipulating text messages.
McMillion also pointed out that Ayash had made himself available to prosecutors and investigators on four different occasions for questioning about the investigation.
He called several witnesses to testify on behalf of Ayash, who said he would never flee if granted bond, but would stick around to clear his name.
Robert Bonham, the manager of a company who cleans after catastrophic events, said he had been friends with Ayash since the seventh grade. Ayash frequently donated to youth sports and events in St. Albans and never showed signs of violence or drug abuse, Bonham said.
Suzette Raines, a former House of Delegates member and legislative liaison for West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, told the judge she has been close friends with Ayash and his wife for about seven years. Raines dated Ayash's brother, Aubrey Ayash, for several years, she said.
Raines testified that she didn't know about Ayash's alleged drug use or criminal activity and said she had never seen the secret room in his basement.
"In my experience he's always been sort of a gentle giant," said Raines. "He's always been very kind."
Reach Kate White at kate.white@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @Kate white on Twitter.