Five individuals have pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges in the Northern District of West Virginia, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Ricardo Xavier Jones, 46, from Martinsburg, admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition while on parole. Authorities found a shotgun and ammunition hidden in his mattress during a probation check. Jones is barred from owning firearms due to earlier convictions for grand larceny and drug offenses.
Gary Owen Jones, 54, also of Martinsburg, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm after state probation officers found a rifle at his home during a parole visit. His previous convictions include making terroristic threats in Berkeley County and another firearms-related offense.
Raymond Earl Bowers III, 42, of Morgantown, entered a guilty plea for unlawful possession of a firearm. Law enforcement responded after Bowers’ former domestic partner notified the WVU Police Department that he was a felon with access to weapons. A search led by Monongalia County Sheriff’s Deputies resulted in the seizure of several rifles, pistols, a shotgun, and ammunition. Bowers is prohibited from having firearms because of prior domestic violence convictions.
Tyler Earl Mercer, 32, from Westover, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm following his arrest related to suspicious activity involving vehicles in Monongalia County. Officers discovered he had an outstanding warrant for grand larceny and attempting to disarm law enforcement; they found a revolver in his waistband during the arrest. Mercer cannot possess firearms due to an earlier counterfeiting conviction.
Caitlin Ashley Fox, 28, of Moorefield admitted guilt for making false statements to federal agents while her boyfriend was under investigation for firearms violations.
The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Kane, Andrew Cogar, Zelda Wesley, and Stephen Warner.
Investigations were conducted by multiple agencies: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; West Virginia University Police Department; Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole Services.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators, and addressing illegal immigration.
