Boone County men plead guilty to federal gun crimes

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Boone County men pleaded guilty today to federal gun crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto.  Jason Allen Davis, 34, of Van, entered his guilty plea to aiding and abetting the theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee. Joshua Wade Sheets, 32, of Danville, entered his guilty plea to aiding and abetting the receipt, possession, and sale of stolen firearms. 

Davis and Sheets are two of four defendants indicted in August 2017 and charged with stealing guns from a Boone County firearms dealer. Davis admitted to serving as a lookout for Sheets in November 2016 while Sheets broke into the store and stole multiple firearms. Sheets admitted to arranging a sale of guns that were stolen from the same dealer in an earlier burglary. 

Sheets and Davis each face up to 10 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on March 21, 2018.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney James Matthew Davis is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.

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