Tucker County Man Gets 87 Months for Stolen Guns

Christopher S. Earnest, a 35-year-old from Parsons, West Virginia, is headed to federal prison for more than seven years after admitting to possessing two stolen firearms, one of which was illegally modified.

Earnest was sentenced to 87 months in federal custody this week after pleading guilty in December 2017 to two counts: ‘Unlawful Possession of a Firearm’ and ‘Possession of an Unlawful Firearm.’ The charges stem from a June 2017 incident in Randolph County, where authorities linked Earnest to the illegal firearms.

One of the weapons, a 12-gauge shotgun, had a shortened barrel — a modification that renders it illegal under federal law. Earnest admitted to holding onto the weapon despite knowing its status. He also admitted to possessing a second stolen firearm, compounding the severity of his criminal violations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook, who emphasized the danger posed by felons with access to unregistered and stolen weapons. Earnest’s prior conviction in the Northern District of West Virginia for distributing methamphetamines disqualified him from legally owning any firearms.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation, tracing the stolen weapons and building a case that resulted in Earnest’s guilty plea. Federal authorities have repeatedly targeted illegal firearm circulation in rural West Virginia, where such weapons often fuel violent crime.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey handed down the sentence, underscoring federal zero-tolerance for firearm crimes. Earnest will serve his 87-month term under the supervision of the U.S. Marshals and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

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