BECKLEY, W.Va. - A Beckley man pled guilty today to a federal gun charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Turner Reid Williams, 27, entered his guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug Task Force.
Williams admitted that on January 9, 2018, agents with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of a confidential informant, conducted a controlled purchase of firearms. During the controlled purchase, Williams admitted that he retrieved two guns from another location and returned to the site of the controlled purchase and delivered a Taurus, PT111, 9mm semi-automatic pistol to the confidential informant working with the ATF. He admitted that knew he was not supposed to possess any firearms because he was a convicted felon. Williams was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because he was previously convicted in 2013 in Raleigh County Circuit Court of the felony offense of Wanton Endangerment with a Firearm.
Williams faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 24, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The United States Attorney General reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
