Charleston felon pleads guilty to federal gun crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Re’Shaun Lamonte Wilborne, 31, entered his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Wilborne admitted that on October 13, 2016, he possessed a Taurus, Model PT92AF, 9x19mm semiautomatic pistol and several boxes of ammunition. An officer with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team discovered the handgun in Wilborne’s backpack in a Motel 6 on MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston. Three days later, on October 16, 2016, a Charleston Police Department officer was dispatched to the 700 block of Central Avenue in Charleston in reference to two individuals behind a bar fighting, one of whom was later identified as Wilborne. When Wilborne saw the officer, he admitted that he began to flee. The officer caught up to Wilborne around the 400 block of Elm Street and in a search of Wilborne incident to arrest, law enforcement recovered a Glock, Model 29, 10mm semiautomatic pistol. After a check of the gun’s serial number, law enforcement confirmed that the firearm was stolen. Wilborne was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2004 conviction for second degree sexual assault in Fayette County Circuit Court.

Wilborne faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on August 3, 2017.

The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, the Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Clint Carte is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.

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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