Thomas Dale Sims Jr. Sentenced for Firearm Possession

Thomas Dale Sims, Jr., 34, of Gerrardstown, West Virginia, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 15 months for unlawful possession of a firearm. The conviction stems from a 2015 incident in which Sims was found with a 12-gauge shotgun despite a prior domestic violence conviction that stripped him of his right to bear arms.

The bust came in October 2015 when law enforcement agents, acting on leads from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, discovered the weapon in Sims’ possession. Federal law bars anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from owning or handling firearms — a rule Sims violated the moment he took hold of the shotgun.

Sims pleaded guilty in July 2016 to one count of “Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence.” The charge, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins, carried a maximum penalty of up to 10 years, though prosecutors sought a sentence within federal guidelines based on Sims’ criminal history and the circumstances of the case.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh, overseeing the case in Martinsburg, West Virginia, handed down the 15-month sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of armed individuals with histories of domestic abuse accessing weapons. No additional fines or supervised release terms were disclosed in the DOJ announcement.

The investigation was a joint effort between federal and local authorities, underscoring ongoing crackdowns in West Virginia on illegal gun possession, particularly among prohibited persons. The ATF has intensified operations across the state targeting repeat offenders and those with violent histories attempting to circumvent gun control laws.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, confirmed the sentencing outcome, reaffirming federal commitment to removing firearms from dangerous hands. Sims has begun serving his sentence in a federal correctional facility, with no immediate details on projected release date.