Based on information from a complaint filed by Nigel E. Jeffries, Prosecuting Attorney, on or about January 26, 2023, at approximately 11:30 p.m., 58 year old, Stephan Paul Brown, contacted Calhoun County 911 . Brown reported to Calhoun County 911 that prowlers at his residence broke into his window. Additionally, he stated that people on his property were wishing him harm. At this time, Cpl. Brian E. Young prompted State Police dispatch to take over the call, at which time they contacted the accused to gather additional information. He informed both Calhoun County and State Police dispatchers that he had a firearm in his possession with which to protect himself. Additionally, the accused appeared to be disoriented or confused, and it was suspected that he was possibly intoxicated or over-medicated.
Cpl. Brian E. Young and Trooper Joshua Richards (collectively, “Officers”) of the West Virginia State Police traveled to the accused’s residence at 4005 Pink Road, Amoldsburg, Calhoun County, West Virginia. The Officers contacted the accused at approximately 1 a.m. on January 27, 2023. At that time, Brown took the Officers around the property, pointing out what he indicated were footprints and faces on the ground, which were not there. The accused further reported that there were people underneath the house and that these same people had used a trap door under the couch to get there. Cpl. Young obtained verbal permission from Brown to search inside the home for signs of a person or persons inside the residence. Consent to search the accused’s residence was provided. The accused continued to make statements to the Officers that were untrue and somewhat fantastical, as if the product of some delusion or hallucination. It is worth noting that the Officers also observed four (4) separatecontainers of medical marijuana. One container, which was dated as being over three (3) months old, still had unused product inside. Two (2) containers were current prescriptions. The accused provided the Officers with a medical marijuana card, but current state law forbids a patient from possessing more than a thirty (30) day supply of medical marijuana.
Thereafter, Cpl. Young asked the accused about the fireann reported to dispatch. The accused stated that he had a 9mm pistol in his possession. Upon further observation, there were multiple spent shell casings inside the residence that matched the firearm’s caliber. Based on all of the surrounding circumstances, as well as Cpl. Young’s recollection of a similar interaction with the accused on or about September 17, 2021, a background check was performed on the accused. Said background check disclosed that the accused had been previously convicted of a felony crime of violence in South Carolina, to-wit: “threatening life, person or family of public official or public employee,” a felony, in violation of South Carolina Code § 16-3-1040.
Thus, based on the Officers’ investigation, the accused, Stephan Paul Brown, in Calhoun County, knowingly and unlawfully possessed a firearm, as such is defined in Chapter 61, Article 7, Section 2 of the West Virginia Code, after having been previously convicted of a felony crime of violence in the State of South Carolina.
Charged with Prohibited Person Possessing a Firearm, Brown is being held at the West Virginia Central Regional Jail on $50,000 cash only bond.
