MOUNT HOPE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Mount Hope man is facing multiple criminal charges after a West Virginia State Police investigation into a stolen firearm allegedly revealed it was exchanged for narcotics and later sold to multiple people.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Fayette County Magistrate Court, Brandon Clark, 30, has been charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, prohibited acts involving a controlled substance and receiving or transferring stolen goods.
The investigation began June 11 after state police received a report of a stolen Taurus G3 9mm pistol from an apartment at the Midtown Terrace complex in Mount Hope.
According to the complaint, the firearm’s owner told investigators he had left the pistol on his porch while taking a dog inside. When he returned, the gun was gone. He told troopers he had been informed another man had taken the firearm and given it to Clark in exchange for narcotics.
Troopers later interviewed Clark, who allegedly admitted he obtained the firearm from the other man and sold it to another individual.
Investigators then spoke with a resident of Misty Mountain Lane, who allegedly told troopers he purchased the firearm from Clark for $150 before later selling it to another person for $200.
State police ultimately recovered the stolen firearm and two magazines after contacting the final purchaser.
According to the complaint, troopers later interviewed the man accused of taking the firearm, who allegedly stated the gun’s owner had given him the firearm to deliver to Clark. He also allegedly told investigators Clark gave him one or two grams of methamphetamine and fentanyl in exchange for the firearm.
The complaint states both Clark and the other man have prior felony convictions that prohibit them from possessing firearms. Court records cited in the complaint show Clark was convicted in 2021 on a felony controlled substance charge.
The latest charges mark at least the third time Clark has been arrested in Fayette County in recent months, according to court records.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
