Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

BECKLEY, W.Va. - Brian K. Trent, 29, of Bradley, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Stanaford area of Raleigh County and found Trent and another individual in the reported vehicle. Officers determined that the vehicle was reported stolen in South Carolina, and that Trent was wanted on an active misdemeanor warrant and a parole violation. Officers also saw a firearm between the driver's seat and the center console of the vehicle. Officers searched Trent and the vehicle and seized a Taurus model G2 9mm pistol, a North American .22-caliber magnum revolver, a Marlin model 60 .22-caliber rifle, a Noble model 60H 12-gauge shotgun, and a Taurus .32-caliber revolver.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Trent knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for destruction of property in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 29, 2016.

Trent is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting 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. 5:24-cr-58.

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