Warren Lee McDaniel, 43, of Albright, West Virginia, is going to prison for putting a loaded 9 mm pistol back on the streets. McDaniel, a convicted felon, was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for illegal firearm possession — a crime that carries weight in West Virginia’s rugged Appalachian terrain where guns and crime often intersect.
The arrest traces back to February 2016, when law enforcement found McDaniel in possession of the weapon in Preston County. Despite having no legal right to carry, McDaniel was caught with the firearm in hand. His criminal record includes a prior conviction for Grand Larceny out of Preston County Circuit Court — the very conviction that made his possession of the gun a federal offense.
McDaniel didn’t fight the charges. In November 2016, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of “Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.” The plea cut through the courtroom noise, leaving no doubt about his culpability. Prosecutors moved swiftly, treating the case like the serious threat it posed to public safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook handled the prosecution with a no-nonsense approach, pushing for accountability. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) teamed up with the Preston County Sheriff’s Office to build the case, combining federal muscle with local knowledge to close the net on McDaniel.
U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley, known for her firm hand in firearms cases, presided over the sentencing. The 36-month sentence reflects the zero-tolerance stance federal courts take when felons are caught armed. No excuses. No leniency.
The message is clear: once a felon, always barred from guns — and West Virginia’s law enforcement isn’t looking the other way. For Warren Lee McDaniel, the price of ignoring that rule is three long years behind bars.
RELATED: Maryland Man Cuffed in West Virginia Firearm Smuggling Case
Related Federal Cases
- Mineral County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
- Dennis Allen High Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
- Desmon Johnson Admits to Illegal Firearm Possession · Maryland
- Maryland Man Cuffed in West Virginia Firearm Smuggling Case · Maryland
- Upshur County Man Cuffed for Illegal Firearm Possession · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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