HUNTINGTON - A Mason County, W.Va., man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal drug and firearm charges, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin of the Southern District of West Virginia, said.
David Michael Persons, 50, of West Columbia was found convicted in August on three counts of illegal drug distribution, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence at the trial showed that on March 3 and 15, 2010, Persons sold heroin to a confidential informant working for the West Virginia State Police Bureau of Investigations, officials said. On March 31, 2010, Persons sold a quantity of cocaine to an informant working for the BCI and on April 20, 2010, he possessed heroin with intent to deliver. The illegal drug transactions took place at the defendant's residence, officials said.
On April 20, 2010, investigators with the BCI executed a search warrant at the defendant's residence and seized several items that included a quantity of heroin, digital scales, a .22-caliber rifle, and a .410 gauge shotgun.
Persons was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his January 2007 conviction in Mason County of conspiracy to commit a felony.
The West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Hanks and Jenny Rada handled the prosecution and sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
