Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Weslee Nathaniel Black, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a short-barrel shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers ordered Black to exit a vehicle on the 1300 block of Marcum Terrace in Huntington and arrested him for grand larceny of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and seized a Hatfield Gun Company model PAS 12-gauge shotgun with a shortened barrel.

Black admitted that he possessed the firearm, that he knew it had a shortened barrel when he purchased it, and that it was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Black knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on January 31, 2023.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.

United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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