W.Va. Coach, Athlete Held in Drug Raid

A West Virginia University assistant track coach and a former Mountaineer football player were arrested today in a government raid of an alleged drug ring in north central West Virginia.

Federal and state officials began rounding up 86 suspects in a Morgantown-area cocaine and crack ring, said U.S. Atty. William Kolibash.

Courtney Mair, who holds six West Virginia University track records and is an assistant coach, was charged with distributing cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school.

Lind Murray, who lettered on the Mountaineer football team in 1980 and 1981, was charged with distribution of cocaine.

Mair, 27, and Murray, 30, were taken to Clarksburg for arraignment in federal court there.

Hospital Employee

Morning raids netted 42 suspects, including the security director of a Morgantown hospital who was charged with possession of both marijuana and a firearm.

A steady stream of handcuffed suspects was taken to the National Guard Armory in Morgantown throughout the morning for processing before being transferred to Clarksburg for appearances before federal magistrates.

Kolibash said there appeared to be a loose connection among many of the individuals involved.

“Now, with the arrests, we will be able to go out and interview people and discover if there are other links,” he said.