Cody Swick, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2024

State: West Virginia
Agency: DOJ USAO
Category: Weapons
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/grant-county-man-admits-firearms-charge" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Official Source ↗

Cody Swick, 33, of Petersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to possessing a firearm despite a prior domestic battery conviction, federal prosecutors confirmed. The guilty plea was entered in Clarksburg, marking a direct hit in the federal crackdown on repeat violent offenders.

Swick pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” after admitting he had a .22 caliber revolver in October 2018 in Grant County. Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of domestic battery from owning or handling firearms—a rule Swick knowingly violated.

The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the DOJ’s signature initiative aimed at dismantling cycles of violent crime. PSN prioritizes targeting high-risk offenders and leveraging federal, state, and local partnerships to enforce stiff penalties and reduce community violence.

Swick now faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. His actual sentence will be determined under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, weighing the seriousness of the offense and his criminal history, including the underlying domestic battery conviction.

The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Grant County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon handled the prosecution, underscoring the government’s resolve in enforcing firearms prohibitions for convicted abusers.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the plea hearing. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date, as federal authorities continue to leverage PSN to root out illegal gun possession in high-crime areas across West Virginia.

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