Braden Robertson, a 30-year-old resident of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty on April 14 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address gun crimes and protect communities. Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Robertson admitted that he knew he was not allowed to have firearms due to his previous felony convictions for conspiracy and drug offenses in Fayette County Circuit Court.
Court documents show that on July 6, 2024, Robertson had five different handguns in his possession. Four of these firearms were reported stolen from a local pawn shop after Jawuan Akil Watts and others broke into the business on three occasions earlier that month. In total, they stole 33 firearms along with other items such as ammunition and coins. Law enforcement later recovered some weapons during a search at another residence, but sixteen stolen guns remain missing.
Watts was sentenced on December 4, 2025, to eight years in prison followed by supervised release for his role in the thefts and illegal distribution of firearms within the Oak Hill community. Another individual involved, Lesley Scott Watkins, received nearly four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea agreement and commended the work of both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department. "These cases are part of Operation Take Back America," Capito said. "[It is] a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over Robertson's hearing while Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted.
Robertson faces up to fifteen years imprisonment when sentenced on July 28 as well as possible supervised release and fines.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia improves communities through enforcement of federal laws according to its official website. The office operates under the United States Department of Justice according to its official website, employing thirty-seven attorneys along with forty other personnel according to its official website. It covers twenty-three counties across southern West Virginia according to its official website while prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for citizens' quality-of-life enhancement according to its official website. The office also collects government debts and protects public interests throughout its district according to its official website.
