Marion County’s William Fulmer Indicted on Firearm Charge

A federal indictment has been handed down in North Central West Virginia, charging 62-year-old William D. Fulmer of Rivesville with illegally possessing a firearm—a .308 caliber rifle—amid a criminal past stretching into Pennsylvania. The charge, filed this week by a federal grand jury, marks the latest blow in a region plagued by illegal gun activity and repeat offenders slipping through the cracks.

Fulmer, a Marion County resident, is accused of having the rifle in July 2017, despite prior felony convictions in Venango County, Pennsylvania, that legally barred him from owning or handling firearms. Under federal law, felons are prohibited from possessing any firearms, and violations carry stiff penalties—up to 10 years behind bars and fines reaching $250,000.

The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner, was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Details remain sparse on how the weapon was discovered, but sources confirm the probe was part of a broader crackdown on illegal firearms trafficking in the Appalachian corridor.

In a separate but equally stark case, 32-year-old Christopher Dent of Bridgeport, Harrison County, was also indicted this week on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Dent, previously convicted in New Jersey, allegedly had a 9mm pistol in May 2017. His case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley, with support from the Bridgeport Police Department and ATF.

Both men now face the full weight of federal sentencing guidelines, where prior records can dramatically increase prison time. While each charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence and $250,000 fine, judges weigh the severity of past crimes and conduct when doling out punishment. With Fulmer and Dent both saddled with criminal histories, prosecutors are unlikely to show leniency.

An indictment, however, is not a conviction. Both William D. Fulmer and Christopher Dent are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. As the cases proceed, federal authorities signal a tightening grip on unlawful gun possession—especially among those already deemed too dangerous to be armed.