Princeton resident sentenced on gun charge

Nov. 15—bluefield, w.va. — Bobby Glen Trent, 37, of Princeton was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records, Trent got into an argument on Sept. 24, 2019, with a Highland Avenue resident while walking past the man's house. Trent admitted that he approached the man, pointed a Diamondback Arms, Model DB9, 9mm pistol at the man and threatened to shoot him.

When the man called 911, Trent hid the firearm in some bushes down the street. Law enforcement officers arrived, arrested Trent, and found the hidden firearm.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Trent knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony convictions for grand larceny and conspiracy in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 4, 2011.

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huntington, w.va. — John Nassy, 29, a Nigerian national living in Dumfries, Va., was sentenced to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $148,000 in restitution for receipt of stolen money in connection with a scheme that defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million.

Nassy has already paid $40,000 of the restitution he owes.

According to court records, Nassy participated in the scheme from June 2018 until at least May 2019 while living in Huntington. The scheme targeted individuals through dating websites and other social media platforms. Scheme participants created false personas to contact victims and induce them into believing they were in a romantic relationship, friendship or business relationship. The victims were persuaded to send money for a variety of false and fraudulent reasons for the benefit of the false personas.

Nassy admitted that he let victims transfer at least $148,000 to his bank accounts that he knew was from unlawful activity.

Nassy further admitted that after the victims' funds were deposited in his accounts, he kept some of the money for himself and forwarded some of the money to his co-conspirators via the Zelle digital payments network. Nassy also transferred money to bank accounts located in Nigeria.

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charleston, w.va. — Melanie Clodfelter, 41, of Summersville, pleaded guilty Tuesday to making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm. Clodfelter admitted to purchasing a semi-automatic firearm that was subsequently used to kill a Nicholas County deputy sheriff in June 2022.

According to court records, Clodfelter bought a Radical Firearms, model RF-15, multi-caliber rifle on Nov. 17, 2021, in Nicholas County. Clodfelter admitted to lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 for the purchase. Clodfelter falsely certified that she was the buyer of the firearm when she knew she was purchasing it for Richie Holcomb. Clodfelter admitted to giving Holcomb the firearm on the day of the purchase.

Clodfelter further admitted that Holcomb gave her the money to buy the firearm and that she knew Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a prior felony conviction.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Holcomb was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Webster County Circuit Court on July 30, 2014.

On June 3, law enforcement officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area and encountered Holcomb and another individual. During the encounter, Holcomb fatally shot Nicholas County Deputy Sheriff Thomas Edward Baker III with the semi-automatic rifle purchased and provided by Clodfelter. Cpl. Joshua Ellison was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. Holcomb was fatally shot.

"It is a crime to certify that you are buying a firearm for yourself when you are purchasing it for someone else, regardless of the circumstances," said United States Attorney Will Thompson. "Straw purchasers illegally put firearms in the wrong hands. In this case, the firearm was given to a dangerous felon and that led to tragic consequences."

Clodfelter is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 16 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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charleston, w.va. — Jeremy Crumbley, also known as "Memphis," 30, of Memphis, Tenn., pleaded guilty Tuesday to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court records, Crumbley sold over 9 grams of fentanyl for $1,150 on April 25, 2018, to a confidential informant in a Kanawha City alley in Charleston.

Co-defendant Kaleb Wuopio, 27, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on September 14, 2021.

Crumbley is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 15 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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huntington, w.va. — Sunshine Amanda Taylor, 40, of Huntington, pleaded guilty Thursday to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

According to court records, Taylor sold a short-barrel Savage Arms, model 94K, 12-gauge shotgun and approximately 6 grams of fentanyl on March 23 to a confidential informant on Park Drive in Huntington for $1,350.

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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bluefield, w.va. — Jermaine Antwon Jones, 34, of Bluefield, pleaded guilty Tuesday to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court records, Jones sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Bluefield. Jones admitted to selling the fentanyl as well as quantities of fentanyl and cocaine to the same confidential informant on two other occasions in Mercer County around the same time period.

On Jan. 19, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones' residence and found approximately 15 grams of fentanyl and 7.94 grams of cocaine. Jones admitted that he planned to distribute the controlled substances.

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

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charleston, w.va. — Jeremy Crumbley, also known as "Memphis," 30, of Memphis, Tenn., pleaded guilty Tuesday to distribution of fentanyl.

According to court records, Crumbley sold over 9 grams of fentanyl for $1,150 on April 25, 2018, to a confidential informant in a Kanawha City alley in Charleston.

Co-defendant Kaleb Wuopio, 27, of Detroit, Mich., pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on Sept. 14, 2021.

Crumbley is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 15 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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bluefield, w.va. — Artemas Roberts, 42, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of a weapon by an inmate of a federal prison.

According to court records, FCI McDowell staff conducted a random visual search of Roberts on April 6. Staff found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a "shank" and several doses of a substance that Roberts admitted was suboxone.

The shank was a sharpened metal medical scalpel with a plastic handle, and was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.

Roberts admitted to possessing the shank and the suboxone, and further admitted that he did not have a prescription for the suboxone.

Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.