Justin Michael Wilson, Carjacking, West Virginia 2019
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A Mason County, West Virginia man has been convicted of carjacking and using a machine gun in relation to a crime of violence. Justin Michael Wilson, 20, was convicted after a one-day bench trial in federal court. Wilson previously pled guilty to unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered machine gun.
The crime occurred on January 11, 2018, when Wilson stole a company truck from two employees of the Putnam Public Service District. Wilson brandished a machine gun and demanded the men transfer items from the stolen vehicle to the PSD truck. He then stole the truck and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, pointing the machine gun at a West Virginia State Police Trooper and running vehicles off the road.
Wilson was arrested after crashing the truck, which was destroyed by fire. He faces a mandatory 30 years in prison with no parole in the federal system. Wilson will be sentenced on August 12, 2019, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the carjacking conviction, up to 10 years each for illegally possessing a machine gun and possessing an unregistered machine gun.
United States Attorney Mike Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and multiple agencies who responded to the crimes, including the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Hurricane Police Department, and the West Virginia State Police.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution, while United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the trial.
Stuart said there’s no place for carjackers in West Virginia and that Wilson’s violent, criminal acts put many lives in danger. He thanked the law enforcement officers who acted heroically to bring Wilson into custody.
The case is a reminder that the federal government will not tolerate violent crime in West Virginia. Wilson’s conviction is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement and the prosecution.
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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