Wilbur Higginbotham, 51, of Morgantown, West Virginia, admitted in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm—a charge that hits hard in a state where gun crimes and repeat offenders continue to strain justice resources. The plea, entered in Clarksburg, marks the latest chapter in a criminal pattern stretching across state lines and over a decade.
Higginbotham pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm,” a federal offense carrying up to 10 years behind bars and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge stems from December 2017, when he was found with a .22 caliber firearm in Harrison County—despite being legally barred from owning guns due to prior convictions.
The defendant’s record is anything but clean. Higginbotham previously faced heroin and illegal firearms charges in U.S. District Court, along with drug convictions in Prince George’s County Maryland Circuit Court. Those prior felonies stripped him of his Second Amendment rights—making every second he held that .22 a federal crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is leading the prosecution, pushing for accountability in a case that underscores the federal crackdown on illegal gun possession by convicted felons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation, piecing together evidence that brought Higginbotham back into the crosshairs of federal law enforcement.
The case was presided over by U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi, with sentencing pending. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the final prison term will hinge on the seriousness of the offense and Higginbotham’s extensive criminal history—a record that could push the sentence to the upper limits allowed by law.
With West Virginia grappling with rising violent crime and drug-related offenses, cases like Higginbotham’s expose the thin line between past punishment and future threats. Federal prosecutors say they won’t look the other way when felons arm themselves—especially when their records scream repeat danger.
RELATED: West Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Three-State Bank Robberies
Related Federal Cases
- Desmon Johnson Admits to Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
- Maryland Man Admits Gun Trafficking Conspiracy · Maryland
- Mineral County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
- Dennis Allen High Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
- Preston County Man Cuffed for Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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