Boone County Man Gregory Runion Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

Gregory Scott Runion, 33, of Seth, Boone County, is headed for federal prison after pleading guilty to a felony firearms charge in Charleston, West Virginia. The admission, delivered in U.S. District Court, marks the latest blow against illegal gun trafficking in central Appalachia, where firearm crimes continue to plague rural communities.

Runion admitted in court that on March 25, 2016, he knowingly sold a KBI SKS-45 rifle to a confidential informant working directly with law enforcement. The transaction occurred in Seth—a small, tight-knit community where illegal gun sales often go unnoticed. But not this time. Federal prosecutors say Runion’s criminal history made the sale a flat-out violation of federal law.

He’s not allowed to own, handle, or sell any firearm. Not now. Not ever. That’s because Runion was convicted of a felony gun possession charge back in 2009 in Monroe, Michigan—a record that immediately disqualified him from legally possessing any weapon. Despite that, he put a loaded rifle into the hands of someone else, exposing the public to immediate danger.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, a multi-agency unit focused on disrupting the flow of drugs and guns through southern West Virginia. Their work led directly to the controlled buy that snared Runion. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is handling the prosecution, building a case that hinges on Runion’s own admission and recorded transaction.

U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing, where Runion offered no resistance to the charges. With the plea locked in, he now faces up to 10 years in federal prison when sentenced on February 2, 2017. No deals. No diversions. Just a courtroom, a judge, and a countdown to incarceration.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative designed to slam the brakes on gun violence by coordinating local, state, and federal law enforcement. In West Virginia, where gun crimes often stem from underground networks tied to drugs and poverty, the program is hitting hard. Runion isn’t just a cautionary tale—he’s a target hit.