West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Unregistered Gun
Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 10:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BECKLEY, W.VA.- On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Matthew Harris England, 38, of Meadow Bridge, West Virginia, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person; and Possession of an Unregistered Short-Barreled Shotgun.
According to U.S. Attorney Will Thompson, during Tuesday’s hearing, Judge Aboulhosn accepted England’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for January 24, 2025. At that time, England faces a maximum term of 15 years in federal prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
According To Documents Filed With The Court
According to documents filed and statements made in court, on April 3, 2023, Police Officers responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at England’s Meadow Bridge residence. Upon arrival, Police Officers located and seized a Savage Model Stevens 94F 20-gauge shotgun with a modified and “sawed-off” barrel and a shortened stock on a chair in the living room.
England was taken into custody and told responding police officers he knew the firearm was in the residence and further knew the length of the barrel was illegal.
The shortened barreled shotgun was not registered to England in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law. Federal law also prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
England Knew He Could Not Possess Guns
England knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for aiding and abetting the possession of stolen firearms in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 9, 2014.
U.S. Attorney Thompson commended the investigative work of the Summers County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
