Brandon Lee Woodrum, a 30-year-old resident of Charleston, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea was entered on January 15, 2026.
Court records show that Woodrum admitted to having a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol on March 19, 2024, in Charleston. He also acknowledged that he knew the gun had been reported stolen before law enforcement recovered it.
Federal law bars individuals with felony convictions from owning firearms or ammunition. Woodrum has previous felony convictions for wanton endangerment with a firearm from March 16, 2015, and January 24, 2019, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court. He confirmed he was aware of his prohibited status at the time he possessed the weapon.
Woodrum is scheduled for sentencing on April 30, 2026. He could face up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine as high as $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea and recognized the efforts of the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in investigating the case.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin is prosecuting.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, 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,” according to information provided by officials.
Additional details about this case can be found by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-171 on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..
