DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Northern District of West Virginia

For Immediate Release

Monday, September 17, 2018
Bill Powell
, United States Attorney
Contact: Stacy Bishop

New York Man Sentenced for Firearms Charge

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephan Cotterrell, of New York, New York, was sentenced today to 84 months incarceration for using a firearm during a crime of violence, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Cotterrell, age 21, pled guilty to one count of "Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence" in April 2018. He admitted to brandishing a .22 caliber revolver during a robbery in January 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Morgantown Police Department investigated.

Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.

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Louisville Field Division