Samuel Lee Donaldson, Jr., 37, of Weston, West Virginia, is headed to federal prison for nearly eight years after being caught with a firearm he wasn’t legally allowed to possess. The conviction stems from a frantic foot chase sparked by a 911 call reporting a known felon armed and on the move. Today, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II confirmed the 98-month sentence handed down in Elkins, West Virginia.
Donaldson was convicted in April 2021 following a two-day jury trial where he was found guilty of one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” The verdict came after prosecutors laid out a clear trail of evidence showing Donaldson’s ineligibility to possess any firearm due to prior convictions for domestic battery and a third-offense DUI—crimes that legally bar him from owning or handling guns under federal law.
The incident unfolded on October 5, 2019, when a Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputy and a K-9 unit from the Weston Police Department responded to an emergency call. Upon making eye contact with officers, Donaldson turned and ran. As law enforcement closed in, he ditched a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The weapon was recovered within seconds—tossed aside in a desperate bid to escape prosecution.
Prosecutors Christopher L. Bauer and Andrew R. Cogar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office built a tight case using bodycam footage, officer testimony, and criminal records that sealed Donaldson’s status as a prohibited person. The defense offered no rebuttal to the core facts: Donaldson ran, he ditched the gun, and he had no legal right to carry it.
The investigation was a joint operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Weston Police Department. Agents moved swiftly to confirm the firearm’s status and trace Donaldson’s criminal history, which proved pivotal in securing the conviction.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the trial and imposed the 98-month sentence, sending a message about the consequences of armed recidivism in West Virginia’s rural counties. Donaldson will serve his time in federal custody, with no early release expected for a crime rooted in defiance and danger.
Related Federal Cases
- Samuel Lee Donaldson Jr. Sentenced in Gun Case · West Virginia
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- Fairmont Man Kyle Kuroski Gets 70 Months for Gun Possession · West Virginia
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Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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