Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Martin, 50, of Fenwick, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 6, 2021, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle traveling in the Monongahela National Forest in Nicholas County that was blocking a one-lane bridge. Martin was a passenger in the vehicle. The officer located two firearms in the vehicle during the traffic stop. Martin possessed one of the firearms, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber handgun.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Martin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for two counts of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance in Nicholas County Circuit Court on June 2, 2009.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Forest Service.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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. 2:24-cr-25.

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