Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Tennessee man was sentenced today for committing a federal gun crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Marvin Dunigan, 46, of Johnson City, previously entered a guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beckley Police Department.

“A convicted felon and repeat violator of federal gun laws,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Guys like Dunigan aren’t supposed to have firearms for a reason.  He was fully aware of the prohibition and now he’ll serve almost 4 years in a federal pen because he chose not to follow the law.”

Dunigan admitted that on August 16, 2016, he possessed a Cobra Model C32, .32 caliber firearm in Beckley. Dunigan was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of a 2010 felony conviction in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, his first conviction for being a prior felon in possession of a firearm.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

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