HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pleaded guilty today to a federal gun crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 18, 2019, a law enforcement officer responded to a reported drug complaint at a residence on 23rd Street in Huntington. Upon leaving the residence, the officer came across Franklin Delano Chafin, 31, who had been riding a bicycle and wearing a backpack. The officer and Chafin spoke, at which time the defendant refused to keep his hand out of his pocket. Chafin then admitted that he had needles on him that he wasn’t supposed to have because he was on probation. Chafin further admitted that there was a gun in his backpack. The officer searched the backpack and recovered a loaded .357 Magnum Ruger revolver. Chafin is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his 2009 felony convictions for robbery in the 1st degree in Wayne County Circuit Court and burglary in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Chafin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and he faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on February 28, 2022.
United States Attorney William S. Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is handling the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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. 3:19-cr-00200.
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