Ohio County man admits to firearms charge

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Xavier C. Coyle, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Coyle, age 29, pled guilty today to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Coyle, having previously been convicted of a felony, admitted to having 9mm pistol in December 2019 in Marshall County.

Coyle faces up to 10 years 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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.