West Virginia Man with Mental Health History Busted with Assault Rifle

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Benjamin Lee Parsons, 31, of Mineral Wells, West Virginia, has admitted to illegally possessing firearms, a dangerous situation averted by a swift, multi-agency investigation. Parsons pleaded guilty to the federal charge this week, a conviction stemming from a 2018 raid that uncovered an alarming cache of weapons and ammunition.

The bust began with a federal search warrant executed on October 31, 2018, targeting a makeshift campsite Parsons had established in a wooded area of Mineral Wells. Investigators were focused on Parsons’ acquisition of a particularly potent weapon: a high-capacity, semiautomatic FNH model M249S 5.56 caliber assault rifle – the civilian equivalent of the military’s Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). The investigation revealed Parsons had another individual purchase the weapon for him from a licensed firearms dealer in Marietta, Ohio.

What investigators found at the campsite was chilling. Inside a locked case, they recovered the FNH assault rifle, loaded with approximately 190 rounds of ammunition fed through a drum magazine. A Molot 5.45x39mm rifle was also seized, along with a staggering collection of magazines and ammunition: 12 loaded magazines containing 164 rounds, 32 additional unloaded magazines, and roughly 640 rounds of 9mm and other rifle ammunition. The sheer volume of firepower is enough to make any reasonable person uneasy.

The critical detail, however, was Parsons’ history. He had been involuntarily committed to a mental hospital in February 2017, a decision made by Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton. This commitment legally prohibited him from possessing any firearms or ammunition. The discovery of the weapons cache, combined with his mental health history, painted a clear picture of a potentially volatile situation.

“Excellent work by law enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “These guns were definitely in the wrong hands.” Stuart commended the collaborative efforts of the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force (PNTF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). This case is being prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a Department of Justice initiative focused on reducing violent crime through targeted enforcement and community partnerships.

Parsons now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 27, 2019, before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is leading the prosecution. This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of enforcing existing gun laws and protecting communities from individuals who pose a clear and present danger.

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