Maryland man indicted on firearms theft charges

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Lee Tyndall, Jr., of Oldtown, Maryland, was indicted today on firearms theft charges, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Tyndall, 43, was indicted on two counts of “Stealing Firearms from a Dealer” and two counts of “Unlawful Possession of Firearms.” Tyndall, a person prohibited from having firearms because of a prior conviction, is accused of stealing eight firearms from a licensed dealer in Mineral County on September 4, 2019. He is also accused of stealing five firearms from a licensed dealer in Mineral County on September 27, 2019.

Tyndall faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. 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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.