Summers County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crimes

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Matthew Harris England, 38, of Meadow Bridge, was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 3, 2023, law enforcement responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at England’s residence in Meadow Bridge. When law enforcement entered the residence, they found and seized a Savage model Stevens 94F, 20-gauge shotgun with a modified and shortened barrel and a modified and shortened stock on a chair in the living room. England was arrested, and told officers he knew the firearm was in the residence and that the length of its barrel appeared to be illegal.

The short-barreled shotgun was not registered to England in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law. Federal law also prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. England knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aiding and abetting the possession of stolen firearms in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 9, 2014.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Summers County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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. 5:23-cr-93.