Fayette County man sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal gun crime (DOJ)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Eddie Daivon Morgan, also known as "Gutta," 45, of Mount Hope, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 30, 2022, law enforcement officers had an active warrant for Morgan's arrest on a malicious wounding charge when they observed him enter a vehicle in Fayette County. Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and found Morgan laying in the back seat of the vehicle. Officers seized a loaded Glock model 42 .380-caliber pistol and a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol from Morgan's person.

Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Morgan knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on January 24, 2013.

The warrant for Morgan's arrest was issued after a November 18, 2022, confrontation between Morgan and another individual at a Fayette County residence. During the confrontation, a verbal altercation between Morgan and the other individual escalated when Morgan threatened to "shoot the place up." Morgan later fired two rounds from a .380-caliber pistol, wounding the other individual in the arm. Morgan pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder, malicious assault, wanton endangerment involving a firearm, and use or presentation of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Fayette County Circuit Court on March 28, 2024.

Morgan's criminal history also includes prior convictions for second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, felony escape, wanton endangerment with a firearm, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school, battery, and domestic battery.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.

United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-92.

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