A Ritchie County man is facing serious prison time after pleading guilty to a federal gun charge. Charles Dana Johnson II, 36, of Cairo, entered his plea Monday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Johnson admitted to possessing two loaded firearms—a SCCY model DVG-1 9mm pistol and a Walther model P22 .22-caliber pistol—that officers found tucked into his waistband during a traffic stop on November 17, 2024, in Parkersburg.
Because of previous felony convictions, Johnson is legally barred from owning firearms. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, those prior convictions include possession with intent to deliver heroin in 2016 and first-degree robbery in 2012, both in Wood County Circuit Court.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from having guns or ammunition, and Johnson acknowledged in court that he knew he wasn’t allowed to carry weapons.
Now, he faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for October.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is handling the prosecution.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative that teams up local, state, and federal law enforcement with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. It’s also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide effort to combat illegal activity, dismantle drug cartels, and protect communities from violent offenders.
Authorities say the goal is not just punishment, but prevention—reducing future crime through community trust, focused enforcement, and data-driven results.
