West Virginia Man Sentenced To Prison

Thursday, January 9, 2025, 9:45 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

BECKLEY, W.VA.- On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Jalen O. Thomas, 27, of Beckley, West Virginia, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk to 70 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release for his previously entered guilty plea for being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.

     Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from owning or possessing a firearm and ammunition. Thomas knew he was prohibited due to his prior conviction for felony fleeing in Cabell County Circuit Court in May 2018.

According To The U.S. Attorney’s Office

     According to U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and documents filed with the District Court, on November 27, 2023, during the course of a narcotics investigation, law enforcement investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in Beckley, West Virginia, where Thomas was staying. During the search, investigators located and seized a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a loaded Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic handgun with a 40-round extended magazine, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver.

     During his previously entered guilty plea, Thomas admitted to possessing the firearms recovered from his Beckley residence on November 27, 2023. 

     Judge Volk concluded during yesterday’s sentencing hearing that Thomas possessed the firearms to facilitate drug trafficking. The Glock handgun that was recovered on November 27, 2023, was found on a couch next to a package containing methamphetamine that was delivered to the Beckley residence as part of a controlled delivery shortly before investigators executed the search warrant.

     Prior to the controlled delivery, investigators had intercepted the package and found it contained over 400 grams of methamphetamine. Investigators removed the methamphetamine and replaced it with a facsimile substance before delivering the package.

     U.S. Attorney Thompson commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit that led to Thomas’ successful prosecution.