CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 9, 2021, officers with the Parkersburg Police Department responded to a domestic violence complaint at the apartment of Matthew Ryan Hunt, 34. They forced entry after learning that shots had been fired inside Hunt’s apartment. Hunt was located inside with a pistol sitting next to him. Inside a safe in the bedroom, officers located an additional pistol and two rifles as well as over 5,800 rounds of ammunition. A female was also present. Officers located two spent shell casings in the apartment, and gunshot residue was detected on swabs taken from Hunt’s hands and face. Investigators later used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to determine that the spent shell casings were fired from the pistol that officers located next to Hunt.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hunt knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of an August 2017 felony conviction for breaking and entering in Wirt County Circuit Court.
Hunt is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2022, and faces a maximum potential penalty of life in prison.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Parkersburg Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-267.
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