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CHARLESTON -- A Roane County man pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Weet Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from Sept. 18, 2018, through Aug. 3, 2022, Kenneth Alan Paxton II, 58, of Walton, regularly sold firearms without a federal firearms license. Paxton admitted he advertised his sale of firearms in a local trading publication and earned approximately $25 in net profits for each transaction, U.S. Attorney Will Thompson said.
Paxton further admitted he received and carried out requests for specific firearms from individuals and often sold to individuals who didn't want to have a firearm in their name, Thompson said.
Twelve of the firearms Paxton sold were recovered at crimes scenes, Thompson said. Of those 12 firearms, seven were recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes within 16 days of Paxton purchasing them from businesses with a federal firearms license, Thompson said.
Paxton will be sentenced Jan. 29 and faces a maximum of five years in prison, a year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
Thompson commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.