Harrison County man sentenced for firearms charge

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Wayne Wiles, Jr., of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 84 months incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Wiles, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in May 2018. Wiles, having previously been convicted of three felonies, admitted to having a 9mm pistol, a .380-caliber pistol, and .243 caliber rifle in January 2018 in Harrison County.

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 prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.