Beckley Man Sentenced on Federal Gun Charge

BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that a Beckley man was sentenced yesterday to 36 months in federal prison on a gun charge.  James David Morris Jr., 39, pled guilty in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“Another felon with a firearm,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “You would think the message would be clear – prohibited persons with guns will be prosecuted federally and put behind bars.”

Morris admitted that on October 14, 2017, he was riding a motorcycle in Harper Heights when he was stopped by a Raleigh County Sheriff’s Deputy, who found that Morris had a revolver in the waistband of his pants.  The revolver was stolen.  Morris was prohibited from possessing a firearm by virtue of his 2013 federal conviction of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.

The case was investigated by the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney John File prosecuted the case.  United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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