Columbus Convicted Felon Sentenced For West Virginia Federal Gun Crime
Saturday, January 25, 2025, 7:20 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
HUNTINGTON, W.VA.- On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Jermaine Demaul Cathey, 43, of Columbus, Ohio, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers to 102 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction of being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, Convicted Felon; and Violating the Terms of Supervised Release.
According to U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and documents filed with the District Court, on April 20, 2023, members of the Huntington, West Virginia, Police Department arrested Cathey on an outstanding warrant from Ohio after conducting a traffic stop of a vehicle being operated by Cathey in Huntington, West Virginia.
During the arrest, Police Officers searched Cathey’s vehicle and uncovered a loaded 9mm compact semi-automatic handgun under the vehicle’s center console. Cathey admitted to possessing the firearm during questioning by arresting Police Officers. Cathey further admitted to having prior felony convictions.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Cathey knew he was a prohibited person due to prior convictions for aggravated robbery in Franklin County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas in August 2006, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and attempting to commit a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court in January 2013, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in December 2017.
During A Subsequent Search Of Cathey’s Vehicle Drugs Are Found
Following taking Cathey into custody, Police Officers towed his vehicle and executed a court-authorized search warrant on Cathey’s vehicle. During the search, Police Officers uncovered and seized around 75 grams of fentanyl, 6 grams of methamphetamine, and two grams of crack cocaine hidden inside the vehicle.
At the time of this instant offense, Cathey was serving a term of federal supervised release as a result of his December 2017 for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. In handing down the sentence on Wednesday, Judge Chambers included the 15 months for Cathey violating the terms of his supervised release.
