HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A Detroit man who was caught with a firearm after a bar fight in Huntington in April of 2013 pled guilty today to a federal gun charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Anthony Mitchell, 25, entered his guilty plea to prohibited possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing unusual about a felon from Detroit involved in violence in Huntington," said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “But make no mistake, we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases until it is unusual."
At approximately 3:00 a.m. on April 7, 2013, officers with the Huntington Police Department were dispatched to the Rehab bar located in the 1200 block of 4th Avenue in Huntington to respond to a large fight in the bar’s parking lot. The caller also reported that an individual was injured at the scene. When an officer arrived at Rehab, a bystander provided a description of a male who had just left the area of the fight in possession of a gun. The officer radioed the description to other officers in the area and a separate officer observed Mitchell, who matched the suspect description, walking in front of the Greyhound bus station away from Rehab. The officer conducted a frisk of Mitchell and located a loaded Taurus.38 caliber pistol that Mitchell had concealed in his waistband. Officers also discovered that Mitchell had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including the offense of assault during the commission of a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Mitchell faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on Aug. 27, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Clint Carte are responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
