Weslee Nathaniel Black, a 39-year-old resident of Huntington, West Virginia, has been sentenced to eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. This sentence is for the possession of a short-barrel shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The incident occurred on March 28, 2024, when law enforcement officers stopped Black on the 1300 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington. He was arrested for grand larceny involving a vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a Hatfield Gun Company model PAS 12-gauge shotgun with an illegal shortened barrel. Black admitted ownership of the firearm and acknowledged it was not registered as required by law.
Federal law restricts individuals with prior convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing firearms or ammunition. Black was aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his previous conviction for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on January 31, 2023.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with the Huntington Police Department for their investigative efforts.
The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers, while Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, enhancing PSN with principles such as fostering community trust and supporting organizations that prevent violence.
For more information about this case or related documents, visit PACER using Case No. 3:24-cr-84 or check out the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.