Two Berkeley County men sentenced for firearms offenses

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men from Berkeley County, West Virginia were sentenced for violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

William Gene George, Jr., 44, of Martinsburg, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. George was previously convicted of “Felony Child Neglect” in the Circuit Court of Berkeley County, West Virginia in 2007. As a result of that conviction, he is prohibited form possessing firearms. He was subsequently discovered in unlawful possession of a .22 caliber long rifle.

George pled guilty in August 2015 to one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

Kody William Brown, 21, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced to 5 months in prison for lying while attempting to purchase a firearm. In February 2015, Brown attempted to purchase a .357 caliber revolver from a licensed firearms dealer in Morgan County, West Virginia. He misled the firearms dealer by indicating that he was purchasing the firearm for himself. In fact, he was purchasing the firearm for another individual who was prohibited from lawfully purchasing the gun.

Brown pled guilty in August 2015 to a criminal Information charging him with one count of “False Statement During Purchas of a Firearm.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Camilletti prosecuted Brown and Camilletti, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski, prosecuted George on behalf of the government.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.