Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joshua Mason Trotter, 44, of Crab Orchard, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 1, 2024, Trotter possessed a Glock model 21 .45-caliber pistol and a CBC model 817 .17-caliber rifle. Trotter admitted to possessing the firearms and further admitted to possessing a 26-round high-capacity magazine for .45-caliber ammunition, approximately 10.51 grams of methamphetamine, and a total of 25.95 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, a synthetic opioid, in several packages.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Trotter knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Kanawha County Circuit Court on November 29, 2017.

Trotter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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 Raleigh County Sheriff's Office.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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. 5:25-cr-22.

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