A woman from West Virginia has been sentenced to prison for her role in the death of a deputy sheriff. Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clodfelter bought a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle in Nicholas County on November 17, 2021. She admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473, by falsely certifying that she was the buyer of the firearm when she knew she was purchasing it for Richie Holcomb.
Clodfelter gave Holcomb the firearm on the day of the purchase. Clodfelter admitted that Holcomb gave her the money to buy the firearm. Clodfelter further admitted that she knew Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a prior felony conviction.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court on July 30, 2014.
Clodfelter was prohibited from possessing a firearm because she was an unlawful user of methamphetamine. Prior to purchasing the firearm for Holcomb, Clodfelter knew that Holcomb was also an unlawful user of methamphetamine.
On June 3, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area and encountered Holcomb and another individual. During the encounter, Holcomb fatally shot Nicholas County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Edward Baker III with the semi-automatic rifle purchased and provided by Clodfelter. Corporal Joshua Ellison was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. Holcomb was fatally shot.
Baker’s widow, Jamie D. Baker, addressed the court and described the impact of Clodfelter’s act on her life and the lives of his children, their family and the Nicholas County community. The court stated that Clodfelter’s “reckless act” led to the “loss of the life of a man of valor, courage and dedication.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which assisted the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Office and the West Virginia State Police in response to the shooting of the two deputies.
Sentencing was imposed by Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Steve Loew, Negar M. Kordestani and Alex Hamner prosecuted the case.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of lying on a firearms form and the devastating impact it can have on families and communities. As the sentencing makes clear, those who engage in such reckless behavior will be held accountable under the law.
Related Federal Cases
- Robert Thomas, Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2023 · Virginia
- Wesley Shane Haggerty, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2023 · Arkansas
- Kevin Nicholas Munroe, Domestic Violence Firearm, West Virginia 2024 · California
- Justin L. Saunders, Felon in Possession of Firearm, West Virginia 2023 · Arkansas
- Jalen O. Thomas, Felon in Possession of Firearm, West Virginia 2023 · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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