NEWS RELEASE
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
Julia C. Dudley Acting United States Attorney Brian McGinn Public Affairs Specialist |
BB&T Building 310 1st Street, S.W., Room 906 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 (540) 857-2974 FAX (540) 857-2179 |
July 8, 2008
CONVICTED FELON SENTENCED FOR ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A FIREARM
Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Carter Cook Gooding, age 50, of Barboursville, Virginia, was sentenced in United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville for illegally possessing a firearm.
“Mr. Gooding knew his rights were restricted because of his previous conviction, but chose to possess a firearm nonetheless,” Acting United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley said today. “These restrictions are put in place for good reason. When they are violated we must act accordingly.”
Gooding was sentenced to 37 months of Federal incarceration to be followed by a period of supervised release. He was indicted on September 19, 2007 and charged with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Gooding pled guilty to that count on November 21, 2007.
According to the indictment, Gooding, a previously convicted felon, possessed a Mossberg model 500A, 12 gauge shotgun. Evidence presented during the guilty plea hearing, some of which was referenced during the sentencing hearing, proved that the defendant, while in jail on a probation violation and about to be released, provided to another inmate a list of firearms and ammunition that Gooding wanted to sell. By the time agents were able to execute a search warrant at Gooding’s home, Gooding was only in possession of one firearm. Agents learned that Gooding had likely been tipped off about the fact that he was in possession of various firearms and ammunition.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Virginia. Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Healey prosecuted the case.