U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson | U.S. Department of Justice
Wilbur Curtis Arnold Jr., a 59-year-old resident of White Sulphur Springs, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his prison term, Arnold will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that on April 29, 2024, law enforcement officers discovered a Winchester model 190 .22-caliber rifle at Arnold’s residence during his arrest. The rifle had been reported stolen since June 12, 2012. Additionally, on June 30, 2023, Arnold sold a Rock Island Armory model 1911 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun at a local business for $300 after presenting identification and signing a purchase agreement.
Arnold was aware that federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. His previous conviction was for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 7, 2016. His criminal record also includes multiple convictions related to domestic battery, protective order violations, assault, DUI offenses, and other controlled substance violations.
United States Attorney Will Thompson acknowledged the efforts of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force in this case. The task force comprises members from the West Virginia State Police, Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and Lewisburg Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk handed down the sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
This legal action is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust within communities and supporting community-based organizations focused on violence prevention.
Further details can be accessed through PACER by searching Case No. 5:24-cr-61 or visiting the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.
