HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Roy Bills, 57, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 24, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bills’ residence and found multiple firearms in the basement: a Diamondback 5.56mm AR-15 rifle; a Savage AXIS XP.308-caliber Winchester bolt-action rifle; a Derya Arms, model VR-80, 12-gauge shotgun; a GSG.22-caliber pistol; and a Beretta 96.40-caliber pistol. Officers also located ammunition with the firearms. Bills admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Bills knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute marijuana in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November, 7, 2016.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-60.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
