Ky. resident pleads guilty to firearm charge in W.Va.

Oct. 24—Charleston — Trevor Dean Williams, 35, of Ashland, Ky., pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 19, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to Williams' Huntington residence after a home alarm system alerted 911. Officer observed suspected drug paraphernalia including a blender containing a powder substance, needles and torn plastic bags as well as ammunition and gun holsters in plain view in the residence. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and found three loaded firearms in Williams' bedroom: a SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol, a Glock 27 .40-caliber pistol, and a Hi-Point CF380 .380-caliber pistol.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Williams knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions in Boyd County, Kentucky, Circuit Court for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, methamphetamine, on Oct. 31, 2018, and second-degree assault on May 21, 2008.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

----Charleston — Ashley Kawczynski, 32, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty Monday to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2022, Kawczynski possessed approximately 328 grams of methamphetamine, 164 grams of fentanyl and two firearms, a Ruger Model LCP Max .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Springfield model Hellcat 9mm semi-automatic pistol, at her Parkersburg residence. Kawczynski admitted that she intended to distribute the drugs to other people and that she possessed the firearms to protect herself, her drugs, and her drug proceeds. Kawczynski further admitted to conspiring with others between February 2022 and July 5, 2022, to distribute fentanyl and to selling fentanyl on four occasions to a confidential informant between April and May 2022.

Kawczynski is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,250,000 fine.

----Huntington — Melvin Theophilius Hill, 38, of Ashland, Ky., pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 2, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hill near 13th Street and Ninth Avenue in Huntington. Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded FN 509 9mm handgun in the passenger seat rear pocket. Hill admitted to possessing the firearm and placing it where officers found it during the search.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hill knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions in Boyd County, Kentucky, Circuit Court for second-degree robbery on May 9, 2008, and first-degree possession of a controlled substance on Jan. 12, 2011.

Hill is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.