Pedro Antonio Pacheco, a 46-year-old resident of Kingwood, West Virginia, has admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm. The incident occurred following a traffic stop where a firearm was found on the passenger seat of Pacheco's vehicle. Due to previous felony drug convictions, Pacheco is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charges against Pacheco could result in a federal prison sentence of up to 15 years. The final sentence will be decided by a federal district court judge who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines alongside other statutory factors.
The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt. The case has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the West Virginia State Police. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the proceedings.