Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Lannie Earl Shaffer, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and one month 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 31, 2023, law enforcement officers attempted to execute an arrest warrant for Shaffer for absconding parole supervision in Sissonville and found Shaffer in possession of a Taurus model 605 .357-caliber revolver. Shaffer fled in a vehicle and struck a law enforcement vehicle during his flight. Shaffer was arrested after rolling his vehicle onto its side.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Shaffer admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit a felony in Taylor County Circuit Court on May 18, 2020, for transferring and receiving stolen property in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 5, 2015, and for burglary by breaking and entering in Kanawha Circuit Court on December 10, 2010.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams 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. 2:23-cr-181.

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