Mark Lewis Cobb, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man pleaded guilty to a federal gun crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Mark Lewis Cobb, 39, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 1, 2026, Cobb possessed a Polymer80 Inc. 9mm pistol in St. Albans.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Cobb knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on February 8, 2017. Cobb was on supervised release for that conviction at the time of his current offense.

Cobb is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the federal government to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.