CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto. Timothy Lee Leftenant, 36, entered his guilty plea to illegally possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
On Dec. 28, 2015, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call at America’s Best Value Inn in St. Albans and encountered Leftenant after smelling marijuana outside his room. Leftenant ran from the officers when they attempted to pat him down. As he was running, Leftenant threw his hat, which contained heroin and a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Leftenant was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of previous felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute crack and for carrying a firearm in relation to a drug crime. Additionally, Leftenant was on federal supervised release for the two prior felony convictions at the time he possessed the handgun.
Leftenant faces up to 10 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, and up to an additional two years in federal prison for the supervised release violation. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 4, 2016.
The investigation was conducted by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Haley Bunn is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought 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.
*
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
