Xavier C. Coyle, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2023

Xavier C. Coyle, a 29-year-old from Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to possessing a firearm after being previously convicted of a felony — a crime that could land him behind bars for a decade. The guilty plea, entered today in federal court, ties Coyle to a loaded 9mm pistol found in Marshall County in December 2019.

Coyle pled guilty to one count of ‘Unlawful Possession of a Firearm,’ a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As a convicted felon, federal law strictly prohibits him from possessing any firearm or ammunition, a rule he allegedly violated with no apparent regard for the consequences.

Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided over the hearing, where prosecutors laid out the facts of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is handling the prosecution, emphasizing that Coyle’s possession of the weapon posed a clear threat to public safety in Marshall County.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force — a HIDTA-funded initiative aimed at dismantling violent criminal networks. Their collaboration led to the discovery of the firearm tied to Coyle, marking another strike under the federal government’s broader crime crackdown.

This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce violent crime. PSN relies on targeted enforcement against repeat and violent offenders, paired with community-based prevention and reentry programs designed to stem the cycle of violence.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Coyle’s actual sentence will depend on the severity of the offense and his prior criminal history. With sentencing pending, federal authorities are sending a clear message: illegally armed felons will face swift and severe consequences.

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