PRINCETON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Mercer County man has been sentenced to prison following a firearm incident inside a home where a child was present, according to prosecutors.
Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney David Pfeifer announced that Cody Allen Runyon was sentenced on March 26, 2026, by Judge Mark Wills pursuant to a plea agreement. The court denied Runyon’s request for probation and ordered a term of incarceration, citing the serious threat he posed to others.
According to court records, the charges stem from a March 16, 2025 incident in the Matoaka area.
Deputies responded to a 911 call reporting that Runyon was armed and threatening individuals at a residence. Witnesses told investigators that Runyon fired multiple rounds both inside and outside the home while a child was present.
Authorities said law enforcement recovered numerous shell casings and documented multiple bullet holes throughout the residence, including near entryways and living areas.
Evidence showed that Runyon had been drinking prior to the incident and became aggressive before discharging a firearm in close proximity to others.
Runyon was charged with multiple offenses, including wanton endangerment and child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.
At sentencing, the court determined Runyon was not a candidate for alternative sentencing, citing the likelihood of reoffending, the danger to the public and the need for accountability.
Under the sentence, Runyon received five years in prison for each of three counts of wanton endangerment, to be served concurrently, and one to five years for child neglect creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, to be served consecutively.
He was awarded credit for time served and is required to register on the Child Abuse and Neglect Offender Registry for 10 years. Remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
“This defendant fired a gun inside a home with a child present. That is reckless, dangerous, and completely unacceptable,” Pfeifer said.
“Our office will not tolerate violent behavior that puts families and children at risk. When someone chooses to endanger lives like this, we will pursue serious consequences and stand up for victims in Mercer County.”
The case was prosecuted in Mercer County Circuit Court.
