Steven Mark Hosey, 59, of Poca, pleaded guilty on Apr. 6 to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL) in Huntington.
Hosey’s case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address illegal gun sales and ensure compliance with federal regulations intended to protect public safety.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hosey admitted that from at least April 2024 through April 10, 2025, he sold firearms without an FFL. He acknowledged knowing he needed a license due to the volume and frequency of his transactions. Hosey said he bought guns from licensed dealers with the intent to resell them, fulfilled requests for specific weapons from individuals, purchased firearms for resale even when no buyer was identified beforehand, and advertised guns on social media platforms.
Hosey further admitted selling between 40 and 50 firearms for profit during this period. Notably, five transactions took place in the parking lot of an FFL business where he sold various pistols and revolvers—including Glock model pistols and a Colt model Anaconda .44 Magnum revolver—to a confidential informant between January and April of 2025. On April 10, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at his residence and seized thirty-four additional firearms; Hosey admitted some were intended for sale.
He is scheduled for sentencing on July 20 and faces up to five years in prison as well as potential supervised release or fines up to $250,000. United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea agreement and commended investigative work by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The hearing was presided over by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers; Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration networks as well as violent crime perpetrated by cartels or transnational criminal organizations.
