ELKINS, W.Va. — A 37-year-old Ohio woman admitted in federal court this week to brandishing a .22 caliber rifle in a violent standoff with a Deputy U.S. Marshal — a crime compounded by her status as a convicted felon.
Peggy Chaffin of Portsmouth, Ohio, pled guilty to two federal charges: one count of ‘Felon in Possession of a Firearm’ and one count of ‘Assaulting, Obstructing, or Resisting a Federal Officer.’ The incidents occurred in November 2015 in Orlando, Braxton County, West Virginia, where Chaffin used the firearm to threaten and obstruct a federal law enforcement officer during an attempted apprehension.
Chaffin has a prior felony conviction for heroin possession and distribution in the Eastern District of Kentucky, handed down in August 2013. That record legally barred her from possessing any firearm, a fact she ignored when she armed herself and confronted a federal agent in the line of duty.
For the gun charge alone, Chaffin faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The more severe charge — assaulting a federal officer — carries a maximum penalty of twenty years behind bars and another $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the final sentence will reflect the gravity of the offenses and Chaffin’s criminal past.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri. Federal and state agencies involved in the investigation include the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, and the Braxton County Sheriff’s Office — a multi-agency response underscoring the seriousness of the attack on a federal agent.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided over the plea hearing. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date, with federal prosecutors expected to seek a stiff penalty given the violent nature of the obstruction and the defendant’s status as a prohibited person in possession of a deadly weapon.
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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