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Press Release

Grant County man admits to firearms charge

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of West Virginia

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jay Jay William Hedrick, of Petersburg West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Hedrick, age 44, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Hedrick, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of prior felony convictions, admitted to having a .40 caliber pistol, a 9mm pistol, and a .17 caliber rifle in June 2020 in Grant County.

Hedrick faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Bauer is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

Updated December 10, 2020

Topics
Project Guardian
Firearms Offenses