Two Kanawha County Men Plead Guilty To Federal Gun Charges

Charleston, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that David Burgess, 27, and his brother, Jesse Burgess, 26, both of Hernshaw, West Virginia, pled guilty to federal gun charges. Both men were charged in connection with the theft of firearms from two local businesses.

David Burgess pled guilty to illegally possessing a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on September 17, 2012, the day he stole the firearm from Pawn for Cash, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Charleston. David Burgess had previously been convicted of the felony offense of credit card forgery in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, and his rights to possess a firearm had not been restored. Jesse Burgess pled guilty to aiding and abetting his brother in stealing the pistol from Pawn for Cash.  Jesse Burgess was also prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of breaking and entering in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, and his rights to possess a firearm had not been restored. 

Both men face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine when they are sentenced on September 4, 2014. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., is presiding over the cases.

The investigation was conducted by the Charleston Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is handling the prosecution. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.