CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Another street criminal is off the streets of Charleston after Edgar Warren Willis Jr., 39, was handed a 10-year federal prison sentence today for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin, also includes three years of supervised release after he serves his time. This isn’t just a gun charge; it’s a repeat offender showing a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of the public.
The bust went down February 27, 2024, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at a Red Oak Street residence where Willis was staying. Inside a bedroom, officers discovered a Lorcin Engineering Model L380 .380-caliber pistol stashed in a backpack. Willis readily admitted to owning the weapon, a fact that sealed his fate given his extensive criminal record.
Federal law is clear: a prior felony conviction bars you from owning a firearm. And Willis wasn’t just a first-time offender. Court records show he was already convicted on January 21, 2022, in Kanawha County Circuit Court for possession with intent to deliver heroin. Before that, on August 10, 2015, he was convicted of wanton endangerment and conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver heroin. He knew he wasn’t supposed to have a gun.
But the heroin convictions aren’t the whole story. Willis’ rap sheet also includes convictions for domestic battery, violation of a protective order, brandishing, and petit larceny. Adding insult to injury, he was on parole at the time of this latest offense, proving that supervision doesn’t always keep these guys in line. It’s a revolving door of crime in this town, and this sentence is a small victory in a long war.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the sentencing, praising the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department-Street Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Keith Randolph and Samuel D. Marsh successfully prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Sounds good on paper, but will it actually make a difference on the streets?
Those seeking further information can find the DOJ press release on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia. Court documents related to Case No. 2:24-cr-89 are available on PACER. For now, Willis is headed to prison, but the streets of Charleston will undoubtedly see another criminal rise to take his place. The cycle continues.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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