Northern District of West Virginia

Jul 17, 2023

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Shannon Lee Karns, age 56, of Bedford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for the transfer of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Karns, also known as “Ribeye,” sold two unregistered firearm silencers to an undercover officer in Wetzel County. A later search of Karns’s garage uncovered a tool bag with dozens of additional silencers and parts. In total, 58 unregistered silencers or parts designed and intended for use in assembling a silencer were recovered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.