HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin today announced that a Putnam County man was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm. Robert Allen Armstrong, 25, of Hurricane, W.Va., previously pleaded guilty in October 2012. On July 16, 2010, officers with the Hurricane Police Department arrived at the defendant’s Putnam County residence to execute an arrest warrant. During the execution of the warrant, an officer seized a Raven Arms.25 caliber pistol from behind a planter located on the porch of the residence. Armstrong was arrested at the time.
The defendant admitted that he possessed a Ruger.22 caliber pistol in his bedroom dresser at the residence. Law enforcement officers later received a complaint that the Ruger.22 caliber pistol had been stolen from a pickup truck sometime between July 15 and July 22, 2010. Armstrong admitted that he knew the Ruger.22 caliber pistol had been stolen.
Armstrong was previously convicted of a felony in February 2007 in the Circuit Court of Putnam County, West Virginia and did not have his rights to possess a firearm restored.
This case was investigated by the Hurricane Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks handled the prosecution.
The sentence was imposed by United States District Chief Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
