Parkersburg Felon Enoch Gets 5+ Years for Packing Heat

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael David Enoch, 33, of Parkersburg, is headed to federal prison after receiving a sentence of five years and 10 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin handed down the sentence today, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. The case underscores the Justice Department’s continued crackdown on illegal gun possession by those with criminal records.

The bust went down December 15, 2024, on a Parkersburg street. According to court documents, officers were already looking for Enoch due to an outstanding warrant. When Enoch made a move towards his waistband, officers intervened and discovered a loaded Taurus PT111 G2 9mm semiautomatic pistol tucked inside. It wasn’t a misunderstanding; Enoch knew full well he wasn’t supposed to have a gun.

Enoch’s rap sheet is lengthy and violent. He was previously convicted on February 25, 2019, in Wood County Circuit Court of wanton endangerment involving a firearm, escape, and receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle – felonies that permanently barred him from owning a firearm. But that didn’t stop him. Beyond those serious charges, his history also includes multiple convictions for battery, domestic battery, fleeing from an officer, battery on a government representative, and violating a protective order. A pattern of disregard for the law, to put it mildly.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the sentence, praising the joint investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Parkersburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe spearheaded the prosecution, building a solid case against Enoch. This wasn’t a random stop; it was a targeted enforcement action.

The sentencing is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aimed at tackling illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation combines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), signaling a broad-spectrum approach to federal crime enforcement.

For those seeking more detailed information, a copy of the press release is available on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents can be found on PACER under Case No. 2:25-cr-26. Enoch’s time on the streets is over, and this conviction sends a clear message: if you’re a felon caught with a firearm in West Virginia, you’ll pay the price.

RELATED: Parkersburg Felon Enoch Gets 5+ Years for Gun Possession