Erin Marie Rudolph, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2017

A Dennison, Ohio woman is behind bars after being accused of violating federal firearm laws in West Virginia.

Erin Marie Rudolph, age 24, was arraigned today on a single count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, a federal crime that carries severe penalties.

The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Wheeling on June 6, 2017, alleges that Rudolph was in possession of a .22 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number on May 10, 2017, in Ohio County.

Rudolph’s case is particularly egregious due to her prior felony conviction in the Circuit Court of Ohio County. As a convicted felon, she is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is leading the prosecution against Rudolph, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigating the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and Rudolph is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, she faces serious consequences, including imprisonment.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided over the arraignment, which marked the beginning of Rudolph’s journey through the federal justice system.

A conviction on the Unlawful Possession of a Firearm charge could result in significant prison time, fines, or a combination of both. The exact outcome will depend on the outcome of the trial.

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