Billy Ray Castle Jr., a 40-year-old resident of Bim, West Virginia, has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison. This will be followed by three years of supervised release for the crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Court documents reveal that on July 24, 2023, Castle discharged three rounds from a Beretta Pietro SPA Model APX 9mm pistol into the ceiling of a residence in Boone County and another round out an open door. Law enforcement responding to the incident seized multiple firearms at the scene: the Beretta, a Sig Sauer model P250 .40-caliber pistol, and a Marlin Firearms Co. model X7 .308-caliber rifle.
Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Castle was aware of this restriction due to his previous conviction for robbery in Boone County Circuit Court on November 18, 2003. In that case, he participated in violently robbing a wheelchair-bound elderly person in their home in 2002.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and praised the investigative efforts of both the Boone County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The sentence was handed down by Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr., with Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams handling prosecution duties.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The Department's strategy emphasizes trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention programs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
Further details can be accessed via related court documents available on PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-71.