Convicted Double-Murderer Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Casey Rygh, 48, of Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months 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 August 25, 2025, law enforcement officers captured Rygh as part of Operation Rolling Waters, a warrant and fugitive sweep, in the Matoaka area of Mercer County, West Virginia. Officers found Rygh possessed a loaded SCCY Model CPX-2 9mm pistol in his waistband.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Rygh knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for two counts of felony murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery in Logan County, West Virginia, Circuit Court on December 15, 1997.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and its Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division (CUFFED) Task Force of Southern West Virginia.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted 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. 

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 1:26-cr-40.

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