Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brandon Lee Woodrum, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Woodrum admitted to possessing a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol on March 19, 2024, in Charleston. Woodrum further admitted to knowing that the firearm was reported stolen prior to its recovery by law enforcement.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodrum knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for wanton endangerment with a firearm on March 16, 2015, and January 24, 2019, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

Woodrum is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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 No. 2:25-cr-171.

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