Two armed felons from West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle are headed to federal prison after being sentenced for illegally possessing weapons and, in one case, stockpiling chemicals used to cook methamphetamine. The convictions mark the latest enforcement action in a region plagued by gun violence and rural drug production.
Patrick Hauck, 34, of Wellsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 71 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm” and one count of “Possession of Pseudoephedrine.” Hauck was found in possession of a 7.62 caliber rifle in Brooke County, along with pseudoephedrine — a controlled substance frequently used in the illegal manufacture of meth.
David L. Smith, 41, of Wheeling, West Virginia, received a 33-month sentence after pleading guilty to “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.” Smith was caught with a .45 caliber pistol in Ohio County, a weapon he is legally barred from handling due to his prior felony convictions.
Both Hauck and Smith have criminal histories riddled with felony offenses in West Virginia — convictions that automatically strip them of their right to possess firearms under federal law. Despite this, they chose to arm themselves in communities already strained by violent crime and drug trafficking.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led both investigations, with assistance from the West Virginia State Police and the Follansbee Police Department during the probe into Hauck’s meth-related activities. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the cases, emphasizing the danger felons with access to weapons and drug-making materials pose to public safety.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided over the sentencing hearings. Federal authorities say they will continue cracking down on illegal firearms and underground meth operations, especially in areas where repeat offenders exploit weak oversight and rural isolation to reoffend.
Related Federal Cases
- Ohio Man Whitt Cops to Gun Charges in Huntington · West Virginia
- Ohio Man Copped Gun Charge, Gets 46 Months · West Virginia
- Preston County Felon Scott Thomas Gets 41 Months for Gun Possession · West Virginia
- Ohio Felon Whitt Gets 30 Months for Gun Possession · West Virginia
- Eban Beyah, Charles Ansley Admit Gun Charges in Wheeling · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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