Wetzel County, WV man convicted of unlawful possession of firearms

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Eric Brandon Lemasters, 33, of Jacksonburg, West Virginia, pled guilty to unlawful possession of four firearms today in federal court, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Lemasters, who has a previous felony conviction in state court in Ohio, was discovered in July 2015 in unlawful possession of two rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol in Wetzel County, West Virginia. He was previously convicted of the felony offense of “Grand Theft” in the Court of Common Pleas of Lake County, Ohio.

Lemasters pled guilty today to one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.” He faces up to 10 years in prison 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.