Press Release
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of West Virginia
BECKLEY, W.Va. – James David Morris, Jr., 43, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and 11 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and violating his supervised release that was imposed as a result of his 2018 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morris had been out of prison for less than one year and was serving a term of supervised release when he committed the 2021 offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Morris admitted to being in possession of a Winchester 12 gauge shotgun found by law enforcement officers in his home on June 10, 2021. Morris was not legally permitted to possess firearms due to two prior convictions for federal firearms offenses. In addition to the 2018 conviction, Morris has a 2013 federal conviction for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. That conviction resulted from an incident in which Morris and an associate pointed firearms at West Virginia State Troopers, and Morris’ associate fired at least one shot at the troopers.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the excellent investigative work of the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:18-cr-00071 and 5:21-cr-00158.
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Updated March 4, 2022
Topic
Firearms Offenses
Component