Richard Charles Cart, Felon in Possession of Firearm, West Virginia 2025

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Richard Charles Cart, 42, of Poca, is facing up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cart, who knowingly sold a Ruger model LCP .380-caliber pistol at a Charleston pawn shop, is currently scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2026. During his guilty plea hearing, prosecutors revealed that Cart had prior felony convictions for grand larceny in Kanawha Circuit Court on May 23, 2022, and for possession of methamphetamine in Jackson County, Georgia, Superior Court on August 8, 2019. These convictions made it unlawful for Cart to possess any firearm or ammunition, which he attempted to circumvent by selling the .380-caliber pistol at a pawn shop. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. Cart’s charges are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that aims to reduce violent crime by targeting illicit firearms and other serious crimes. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-108.