An Ohio man, Justin Antonio Jones, age 40, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea was entered in Charleston, West Virginia.
Court records show that on September 29, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle in Mingo County, West Virginia. During the stop, officers heard what they believed to be the sound of a semi-automatic firearm’s slide coming from another nearby vehicle. Officers investigated and found Jones standing by that vehicle. They observed him place an object under the passenger side front tire and recovered a Keltec model PF-9 9mm pistol from that location.
Federal law bars individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Jones had prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on October 27, 2008, and May 22, 2012, both in Mingo County Circuit Court. He admitted knowing he was prohibited from having a firearm due to these previous convictions.
Jones is scheduled for sentencing on May 20, 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 praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is handling prosecution duties.
According to the Department of Justice website for the Southern District of West Virginia (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv), this case falls under Operation Take Back America. This national initiative aims to use all available resources to combat illegal immigration and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
Further details about this case can be found by searching Case No. 2:25-cr-191 on PACER (https://pacer.uscourts.gov).
