A lawyer who represented a former Massey Energy Co. security director convicted of lying to federal authorities said that, in the wake of the Upper Big Branch-South (UBB) Mine tragedy, more criminal prosecutions of mining officials are likely.

"You're going to see an increase in criminal prosecutions. That's just one more arrow in the quiver," former U.S. Attorney Bill Wilmoth said, as reported by the Charleston Gazette.  Wilmoth’s remarks came Wednesday during a presentation at the West Virginia Coal Symposium in Charleston.