Pile named as Kanawha County Sheriff Office’s first female Chief of Detectives

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office promoted Lieutenant Ana Pile to Chief of Detectives Monday, making her the first female in the county to hold the position.

Pile will now be responsible for leading criminal investigative section and the Kanawha Bureau of Investigations.

Pile has been serving with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department for 20 years, beginning as a patrol deputy in 2004. She played a large part securing convictions of Jeanne Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, a Sissonville couple charged with human trafficking, forced labor, child abuse, and more in a landmark case a nearly two months ago.

Kanawha County Sheriff Joe Crawford and Chief Deputy Sean Snuffer, in a shared statement, said Pile was the clear choice.

“This appointment was an effortless decision. Ana has continuously demonstrated the hard work, dedication, and compassion necessary to oversee this critical division. Detectives face some of the most complex and harrowing cases in law enforcement, and Ana leads with both professionalism and empathy. She is an inspiration to both her colleagues and the community.”