Two Virginia Men Sentenced On Firearms Charges

1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Tara Tighe, Public Affairs Specialist

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Virginia men with prior felony convictions were sentenced in federal court for unlawful possession of firearms, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced today.

In late 2013, convicted felons Micky Knight Matheson, 34, and Joshua Thomas Smith, 30, both of Winchester, Virginia, pawned four shotguns and a rifle near Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Smith was sentenced to 80 months in prison. He was previously convicted of the felony offense of distribution of cocaine in the Circuit Court for the City of Winchester, Virginia. Matheson was sentenced to 57 months in prison. He was previously convicted of the felony offenses of credit card theft, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, forgery, uttering, and credit card fraud in the Circuit Court for the City of Winchester, Virginia.

Smith and Matheson each pled guilty in July 2014 to one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm” after an investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.