Marshall County man admits to firearms charge

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – John D. Freshwater, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Freshwater, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.” Freshwater, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, admitted to having a 9mm pistol and 55 rounds of 9mm hollow point ammunition in January 2020 in Marshall County.

Freshwater faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000. 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 David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.