A federal court has sentenced Nathaniel Martin, 50, of Fenwick, to a year in prison for the crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his prison term, Martin will serve three years under supervised release.
Court documents indicate that on September 6, 2021, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in the Monongahela National Forest, Nicholas County, for blocking a one-lane bridge. Martin was a passenger in that vehicle. Authorities discovered two firearms during the search, one of which was in Martin's possession, identified as a Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber handgun.
Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Martin was aware of this restriction, stemming from his previous felony conviction for two counts of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance adjudicated on June 2, 2009, in Nicholas County Circuit Court.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston acknowledged the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Forest Service for their investigative work in the case.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger handed down the sentence, with Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuting.
This case is associated with Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by uniting different law enforcement levels and communities. The Department issued a refined violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, to bolster PSN through principles that encourage trust, community support, focused enforcement priorities, and result measurement.
For further details and access to related court documents and information, individuals can refer to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia’s website and PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-25.
