Michael Allen Kenney, a 54-year-old resident of Hamlin, West Virginia, has been sentenced to six years and eight months in federal prison. The sentence comes after Kenney was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his prison term, he will also serve three years under supervised release.
Kenney's conviction was secured by a federal jury on November 6, 2024, after a two-day trial. Evidence presented at the trial showed that on May 17, 2023, Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an emergency call at a video poker parlor in Poca. Upon arrival, officers witnessed Kenney retrieving a loaded Ruger Model EC9s 9mm pistol from his waistband. He was subsequently arrested and the firearm seized.
Federal regulations prohibit individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Kenney had multiple prior felony convictions which disqualified him from legally possessing a firearm. These included possession of a stolen vehicle in Kanawha County Circuit Court on October 27, 2017; being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm in Mason County Circuit Court on August 5, 2014; and fleeing with reckless indifference in Putnam County Circuit Court on February 11, 2014.
Further investigation led officers to search the vehicle Kenney arrived in at the poker parlor. They discovered a bullet and methamphetamine packaged for distribution within the vehicle. A recorded jail conversation revealed that Kenney acknowledged ownership of the methamphetamine found during the search.
The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory linked the firearm seized from Kenney to an earlier incident on April 26, 2023. During this incident, shots were fired outside a residence following an argument involving occupants of the same vehicle later searched by law enforcement.
Kenney's criminal history includes over twenty previous convictions since he turned eighteen. His record features offenses such as domestic battery, breaking and entering, DUI charges, driving without valid licensing credentials, and drug-related crimes.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston commented: “Mr. Kenney has spent much of his adult life unlawfully endangering the public, as reflected by his extensive criminal record and by repeatedly and illegally possessing firearms.” She commended both local law enforcement agencies involved and Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Stephanie Taylor for their roles in securing Kenney's conviction.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers handed down Kenney's sentence as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This initiative aims to reduce violent crime through collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and community organizations.
For further information regarding this case or related documents can be accessed via PACER using Case No. 3:24-cr-40.
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