Ricky Steve John, a 50-year-old resident of Charleston, West Virginia, has been sentenced to three years and three months in federal prison. Following his release, he will serve an additional three years under supervised release. The sentencing comes after John was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The incident dates back to March 20, 2024, when law enforcement responded to a reported break-in at a church located in the West Side neighborhood of Charleston. During this response, officers detained John upon spotting him nearby. It was discovered that he had an outstanding warrant and was subsequently arrested. While in custody, an unloaded Ruger model EC9 9mm semiautomatic pistol fell from John's pant leg.
Federal regulations prohibit individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. John was aware of this restriction due to his previous felony conviction for voluntary manslaughter on July 21, 2016, in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
John's criminal history is extensive and includes past convictions for aggravated vehicular assault, theft, and weapon possession. Investigations into the current offense revealed that over approximately six weeks, John possessed three different firearms which he traded or attempted to trade for drugs or other firearms. Notably, two of these firearms were stolen from vehicles in Charleston’s West Side area.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and praised the investigative efforts by the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The sentence was imposed by Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr., with Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel D. Marsh and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuting the case.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program designed to reduce violent crime and gun violence by coordinating efforts between law enforcement agencies at various levels and local communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021.
Additional details about this case can be accessed through related court documents available on PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-136.