Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Scott Phalen, 63, of Charleston, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 15, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a report from an employee at a restaurant in the Kanawha City section of Charleston that an individual had placed a firearm in a trash can at the restaurant. Officers recovered a SCCY, model CPX-1, 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the trash can. Phalen admitted to possessing the firearm and further admitted to placing the firearm in the trash can.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Phalen was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for first-degree sexual abuse in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 14, 2012.

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

Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.

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. 2:22-cr-204.

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