Harrison County man admits to firearms charge

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Lee Starkey, Jr., of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Starkey, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.”  Starkey, having been previously convicted of a felony, admitted to having a .22-caliber revolver in March 2018 in Harrison County.

Starkey faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.

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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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, Attorney General Sessions 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 Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia Probation Office investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.