Edward Leon Sowards, a 35-year-old resident of Hurricane, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to the federal charge of possessing a firearm as a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. The plea was entered in Huntington.
Court documents reveal that Sowards admitted to purchasing a Taurus model Public Defender Judge Poly .45-caliber/.410-gauge revolver from an individual in June 2023. He acknowledged knowing that the firearm was stolen and confessed to returning it on June 21, 2023, after meeting with the seller in a parking lot in Hurricane. At the time of return, he was aware that the serial number had been removed from the weapon.
Federal law prohibits individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from owning firearms or ammunition. Sowards had been previously convicted for domestic battery in Putnam County Magistrate Court on April 20, 2012, which barred him from gun possession.
Sowards is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, 2025. He faces up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine amounting to $250,000.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson who praised the investigative efforts conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.
The hearing was overseen by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers with Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuting.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department's strategy introduced on May 26, 2021 focuses on building community trust and legitimacy while supporting organizations dedicated to preventing violence before it occurs.
Further details can be accessed via PACER using Case No. 3:24-cr-147 or through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia's website.