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April 20, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two Harrison County Residents Enter Guilty
Pleas to Firearms Violations

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — Two Harrison County residents entered guilty pleas on April 13 and April 16, 2009, in United States District Court in Clarksburg before Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull.

United States Attorney Sharon L. Potter announced that:

MICHAEL SHAWN LOWTHER, age 28, of Mt. Clare, West Virginia, entered a plea of guilty to one count of an Information charging him with knowingly possessing , selling, and disposing of a stolen firearm on March 28, 2008. LOWTHER, who is currently free on bond pending sentencing, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department; and the Harrison/Lewis County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force. The Task Force consists of officers from the Clarksburg Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

PHILLIP MCCLAIN, age 36, of Harrison County, entered pleas of guilty to two counts of an Information charging him with conspiracy to violate federal firearms laws; and aiding and abetting in knowingly making a false statement or representation with respect to information required to be kept in a Federal Firearms Licensee’s records. This case relates to MCCLAIN’s involvement in the “straw purchase” of two firearms from a Clarksburg gun dealer in January 2008. MCCLAIN, who is currently free on bond pending sentencing, faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 on each count. The case was investigated by the Harrison/Lewis County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Angus Morgan.