Mineral County man admits to firearms charge

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – John Michael Martin, of Keyser, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Martin, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Sale or Transfer to a Prohibited Person.” Martin admitted to selling a 12-gauge shotgun to Nathan E. Carpenter, who was known to have been convicted of a crime, in April 2018 in Mineral County.

Martin faces up to 10 years 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.

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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. 

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