Jeremiah Clinton Gray, a 42-year-old resident of Blue Ridge, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea was entered in Charleston, West Virginia.
Court documents and statements revealed that on July 22, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of an individual inside a business in Jackson County, Ohio, carrying a firearm, wearing body armor and displaying a badge. The suspect was identified as Gray. He left the scene in a vehicle without license plates and evaded an attempted traffic stop by law enforcement. The pursuit ended in Charleston, West Virginia with the use of spike strips. Upon his arrest, officers discovered Gray had a loaded Taurus model 1911 Officer 9mm pistol on him and a loaded Mossberg model 590 Shockwave .410-gauge shotgun inside the vehicle.
Federal regulations prohibit individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Gray acknowledged he was aware of this prohibition due to his previous conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess over 500 grams of cocaine. This conviction occurred on October 20, 2023, at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Gray's sentencing is scheduled for August 12, 2025. He faces up to 15 years imprisonment along with three years supervised release and fines reaching $250,000.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the plea deal while commending the investigative efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), West Virginia State Police and Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
The hearing was presided over by Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber with Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuting.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime through collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and communities.
Further information regarding this case can be accessed via PACER using Case No. 2:25-cr-35 or through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia's website.
