Two West Virginia men have admitted to illegally possessing firearms, one while hooked on drugs, the other despite a felony record that stripped him of gun rights. Eric Wilson, 29, of Coalton, and Joseph Wayne Shipman, 43, of Buckhannon, stood before federal judges and pleaded guilty to federal weapons charges, sealing their fates in a justice system with zero tolerance for armed offenders.
Wilson copped to the charge of “Unlawful Possession of Firearm by Drug Addict” after admitting he carried a .32 caliber revolver in May 2016. Authorities say his drug dependency disqualified him from legally owning or handling any firearm. The Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force built the case, tracking his movements and confirming the weapon’s recovery during a targeted investigation.
Shipman, already a convicted felon out of Upshur County, broke the law again by stockpiling multiple firearms in December 2016. His prior conviction legally barred him from possessing any gun, yet he ignored that prohibition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) led the probe, uncovering the arsenal he kept in violation of federal law.
Both men now stare down the same grim outcome: up to ten years behind bars and fines reaching $250,000. While the maximum sentence looms, the actual prison term each will serve hinges on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which weigh the severity of the crime and prior criminal history.
The prosecutions were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner, who emphasized the federal government’s crackdown on illegal gun possession, particularly among those with violent histories or substance abuse ties. “These weapons pose a direct threat to public safety,” Warner stated. “We’re not looking the other way when felons or addicts arm themselves.”
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the proceedings in Elkins, West Virginia. With guilty pleas entered, sentencing is now pending. The cases underscore a broader federal push to intercept illegal firearms before they fuel homicides, robberies, or drug-related violence in Appalachian communities.
Related Federal Cases
- Jeremy Vance, Adam Miller Plead Guilty to Firearm Crimes · West Virginia
- Rollie C. Poynter Jr. Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession · Kentucky
- Russell Cary Owens Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · North Carolina
- Thomas Dale Sims Jr. Sentenced for Firearm Possession · West Virginia
- Joseph Sampson, Michael Burgess Get Time for Gun Crimes · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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