Charleston Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In a gritty courtroom drama, Lannie Earl Shaffer, 33, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to the serious charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 31, 2023, Shaffer brazenly possessed a Taurus model 605 .357-caliber revolver in Sissonville. Federal law explicitly bans individuals with prior felony convictions from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition, but Shaffer’s ignorance of the law was not his only offense.

Shaffer admitted he knew full well that his prior felony conviction for transferring and receiving stolen property in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 5, 2015, made him ineligible to own a gun. His brazen disregard for the law landed him in hot water once again.

Scheduled for sentencing on October 17, 2024, Shaffer faces a chilling array of penalties: up to 15 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The severity of his sentence underscores the gravity of his crime.

United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the guilty plea, commending the relentless investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office in bringing Shaffer to justice.

Presiding over the hearing was United States District Judge Irene C. Berger, with Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams leading the prosecution. This case is a vital part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence across the nation, making neighborhoods safer for all.

For more information on this case, including related court documents, visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia or search PACER using Case No. 2:23-cr-181.

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