Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime (DOJ)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Robert J. Thomas, 30, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2024, Thomas possessed a Glock Model 27 .40-caliber pistol in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 9, 2019.

Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office, and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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 PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-40.

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