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CHARLESTON -- A Parkersburg man was sentenced to federal prison on charges he was a felon in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia said.
John Brady Studenic, 33, a member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, was sentenced to 42 months in prison and upon release will be under supervised release for an additional three years, U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart said. The United States requested, and the Court imposed, a sentence above the range recommended by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines due to Studenic's history of violence, Stuart said.
Studenic earlier admitted he was riding a motorcycle Aug. 9 on Seventh Street in Parkersburg when an officer with the Parkersburg Police Department attempted to perform a traffic stop on him for running a red light at Seventh and Park Avenue, Stuart said. When the officer activated his overhead lights and siren, Studenic fled east on Seventh Street toward Core Road, Stuart said.
In the process, he was travelling about 90 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone and passed multiple vehicles using either a turning lane or the oncoming lane, Stuart said. Studenic ran another red light at Seventh Street and Fairview Avenue during the pursuit, Stuart said.
He wrecked the motorcycle on Core Road and was taken into custody following a brief physical struggle, which he initiated by charging the arresting officer, Stuart said.
During the arrest Studenic was searched and a loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol was found in his waistband, Stuart said. Additional ammunition, about 20 grams of methamphetamine and a small amount of marijuana also were found in Studenic's possession, Stuart said.
Studenic was not legally permitted to possess a firearm due to a previous conviction of malicious assault, a felony, on Sept. 22, 2010, in Wood County Circuit Court, Stuart said. The prior conviction is the result of Studenic shooting another individual, Stuart said.
The Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence and Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is handling the prosecution.