CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Curtis Atwell, 52, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2026, Atwell possessed three Winchester .410-gauge shotgun shells in Charleston. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Atwell admitted that he possessed the ammunition and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction for wanton endangerment in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 10, 2017.Atwell further admitted that he sold the ammunition to a confidential informant and during that transaction also sold a firearm assembled using a 10.75-inch metal pipe and improvised firing mechanism designed to expel the contents of inserted shotgun shells. Atwell admitted that he demonstrated how to fire the firearm behind a business on Charleston’s West Side. Atwell also admitted that he sold the confidential informant a pipe bomb assembled from galvanized pipe, an elbow joint, end caps, and a wick. The pipe bomb was filled with explosive powder and could create a blast, expelling the contents of the pipe.Atwell is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.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. 2:26-cr-27.###
Source: U.S. Department of Justice