U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson | U.S. Department of Justice
Jalen O. Thomas, a 27-year-old resident of Beckley, West Virginia, received a sentence of five years and ten months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down for his crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Court documents reveal that on November 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where Thomas was staying. During the search, officers seized multiple firearms: a Smith & Wesson model SD9VE 9mm semiautomatic handgun, a loaded Glock model 17 Gen 5 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine capable of holding 40 rounds, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver. Thomas admitted to possessing these firearms.
Thomas was aware that federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his previous conviction for felony fleeing in Cabell County Circuit Court on May 11, 2018.
The court determined that Thomas possessed the firearms to facilitate drug trafficking activities. Specifically, the Glock handgun found during the search was located next to a package containing methamphetamine delivered as part of a controlled operation shortly before the warrant execution. Investigators had intercepted this package earlier and discovered it contained over 400 grams of methamphetamine. They removed most of the drug and replaced it with a sham substance before its delivery to the residence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and commended the efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit in their investigation. This unit includes officers from various local law enforcement agencies such as the West Virginia State Police, Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed Thomas's sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The program focuses on fostering trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
For more information about this case or related court documents, visit PACER under Case No. 5:23-cr-197 or consult the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
