Berkeley County man indicted for illegal firearms sales

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Loren Hoffman, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, appeared today in federal court after being indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Martinsburg on November 21, 2018 for firearms sales violations, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Hoffman, age 52, is charged with two counts of “Sale to a Prohibited Person” and two counts of “Making a False Entry in records by Federal Firearms Dealer.” Hoffman is accused of knowingly selling a .45 ACP caliber Hi-Point rifle to a convicted felon and knowingly failing to make an appropriate entry of the sale in his records. The crimes allegedly took place in October 2018 in Berkeley County.

Hoffman faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the sale counts and faces up to one year incarceration and a fine of up to $100,000 for each of the entry counts. 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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Attorney General’s Office has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Attorney General announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.