Lewis County Man Sentenced for Violent Crime Offense

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A Lewis County, West Virginia man was sentenced today for unlawfully possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.

Joshua Allen Sandy, 43, of Weston, West Virginia, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison. Law enforcement officers responded to a domestic incident at Sandy’s residence in April 2024. During the investigation, officers located a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition in Sandy’s bedroom. Sandy has a prior drug conviction, prohibiting him from having firearms. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police, and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.