Jefferson County man admits to firearms charge

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Brent Collum, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.

Collum, 36, pleaded guilty today on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Collum, a person prohibited from having a firearm because of a prior conviction, admitted to having a .45 caliber handgun in August 2021 in Jefferson County.

Collum faces up to 10 years of 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Charles Town Police Department investigated. 

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