On Monday, a thirty-nine-year-old man pled guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of wanton endangerment from an incident that occurred in February of this year.
On February 12, 2020, police responded to a report of a brandishing at 102 Grant Street in Beckley. Upon arrival at the suspect’s location, police found Marcus Wayne Scott, who was on probation at the time, in possession of a bottle of vodka. Upon a search of the area, officers also found a Taurus revolver that Scott had disposed of on the side of the road.
According to reports, when police conducted a search of the suspect, they found a small amount of methamphetamine and crack cocaine inside his backpack.
The victim said Scott had come to her home demanding the return of $10 that he had loaned her. When she said she did not have the money, Scott began screaming at her demanding she give him the money by the next day.
When asked to leave the victim’s residence, Scott brandished the revolver, which prompted the victim to contact the police.
After running a background check, police found that Scott had been previously convicted of felony Unlawful Assault on June 15, 2009, a conviction by which Scott was made ineligible for the possession of a firearm. Scott also pled guilty to felony breaking and entering in separate incidents in 2014 and in 2016.
Scott waived his right to a jury trial before pleading guilty. As part of Scott’s plea agreement to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and wanton endangerment, the prosecution agreed to the dismissal of four other counts including first-degree robbery and possession of a controlled substance.
Judge H. L. Kirkpatrick III sentenced Scott to two consecutive terms of two years, four years in aggregate, in the West Virginia Division of Corrections, with the Court granting him credit of 10 months for time served in the Southern Regional Jail while awaiting disposition of his case.
In closing statements, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brian Parsons mentioned that given Scott’s previous criminal history, Scott could face life in prison if he engages in any criminal activity following his release under West Virginia’s habitual offender statute.
