Demetrius McKinney, a 45-year-old inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, has pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon while incarcerated in a federal prison. The plea was entered on May 7, 2025.
Court documents and statements reveal that McKinney was involved in an altercation on April 24, 2024, at FCI McDowell. Following this incident, a staff member conducted a search and discovered a handmade weapon, commonly referred to as a "shank," in McKinney's right front pants pocket. The weapon was described as a six-and-a-half-inch piece of metal with one end sharpened to a point and a cloth handle on the other.
McKinney is set for sentencing on August 11, 2025. He faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and could be fined $250,000.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the guilty plea and praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The hearing was overseen by Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecution.
Further details about this case can be accessed through PACER under Case No. 1:25-cr-31 or via the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia's website.