A Huntington man with a prior drug conviction was caught with a loaded 9mm pistol after selling meth to undercover agents, federal prosecutors revealed Wednesday. John Weathers, 32, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars.
The arrest unfolded on December 5, 2017, when agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Virginia State Police Violent Crime and Drug Task Force orchestrated a controlled buy of methamphetamine from Weathers. Surveillance confirmed he was holed up at the Econo Lodge in Huntington, setting the stage for a swift takedown.
Armed with a search warrant, law enforcement stormed the motel room and found a STAR Firestar 9mm pistol stashed in a bag on the floor. For Weathers, the discovery was catastrophic—federal law bars anyone with a felony conviction from owning or possessing firearms. His 2012 federal drug conviction in the Southern District of West Virginia sealed his fate.
U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart made no apologies for the aggressive prosecution. “The good citizens of Huntington need to know that my office is committed to cleaning up the streets by aggressively prosecuting drug criminals and holding them accountable with serious prison time,” he said in a statement.
Weathers faces sentencing on May 7, 2018, before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is leading the prosecution, pushing for maximum consequences under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative aimed at slashing gun violence through coordinated local and national enforcement.
This case highlights the chokehold federal authorities are placing on repeat offenders who traffic drugs and carry weapons. With DEA and state police working in tandem, figures like Weathers aren’t just getting caught—they’re being exposed, arrested, and locked up with the full weight of the law.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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