Robert J. Thomas, a 30-year-old resident of St. Albans, pleaded guilty on Mar. 19 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Thomas admitted in court that he possessed a Glock Model 27 .40-caliber pistol on January 27, 2024, in the Jefferson area of Kanawha County. Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Thomas was aware he was not allowed to have a firearm due to his previous conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 9, 2019.
He is scheduled for sentencing on July 13, 2026. He faces up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine that could reach $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea and recognized the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing while Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
