Galax Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms (DOJ)

ABINGDON, Va. - A convicted felon from Galax, Va., who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced Friday to 36 months in federal prison following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wythe County Sheriff's Office.

Michael Shane Mathis, 30, pled guilty in November 2025 to one count of being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm while also being a user and addict of any controlled substance.

According to court documents, on February 18, 2025, deputies with the Wythe County Sheriff's Office responded to a call for a welfare check involving the vehicle Mathis was occupying. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and located a Hi Point 995 9mm rifle, a Hi Point CF380 .380 caliber pistol, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

Deputies also found a plastic baggie containing over nine grams of methamphetamine, a glass smoking device with residue, scales, a loaded hypodermic needle, a large knife, and body armor. Mathis admitted to law enforcement he was a violent offender for a previous conviction of unlawful wounding and the substance found was methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wythe County Sheriff's Office.

Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement

Assistant United States Attorney Corey Hall prosecuted the case for the United States.