Lovus Austin Brewer, 28, of Huntington, was sentenced on Apr. 13 to six years and eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address gun crimes involving individuals with prior felony convictions. Such prosecutions are intended to enhance community safety and uphold federal laws prohibiting firearm possession by felons.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers responded on May 4, 2025, to reports of shots fired at a Huntington apartment building. Officers encountered Brewer at the scene and ordered him to raise his hands. When he complied, officers observed a black pistol with an extended magazine on his right rear hip. They recovered a 9mm pistol from Brewer along with spent shell casings and one live round near the building. Security camera footage showed Brewer walking to the front of the building and opening fire. Several residents reported that bullets struck the apartment building; officers found bullet holes in windows and walls.
Federal law prohibits people with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Court records show that Brewer had previous felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Wayne County Circuit Court on August 21, 2017, and fleeing with reckless indifference in Cabell County Circuit Court on September 22, 2022.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the sentence and commended both the Huntington Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their investigative work. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence, and Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on addressing illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime.
