Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Jonathan Baker, 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on March 2, 2021 at an apartment on 26^th Street in Huntington.  During a search of the residence, officers found a firearm on top of a nightstand.   Baker admitted to officers that he had possessed the firearm and he knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm because of a 2011 felony drug conviction in Bibb County, Georgia.

Baker faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on October 25, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in 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. 3:21-cr-00056.

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