Nicholas Kagen Woodin, a 34-year-old resident of Charleston, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to the federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to information presented in court, law enforcement officers arrived at Woodin’s home on November 22, 2024, to arrest him for alleged parole violations. During their search, officers found a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol under the pillow in his bedroom.
Federal law bars individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Woodin had previous felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Putnam County Circuit Court on January 17, 2018; possession of a stolen vehicle in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 6, 2018; and escape from custody in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 13, 2020.
Woodin is scheduled for sentencing on May 18, 2026. He faces up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a possible fine of $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea and recognized the investigative efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), West Virginia Parole Services, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin is prosecuting the case.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” according to officials.
Further details can be accessed through PACER by searching Case No. 2:25-cr-178.
