Wood County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun Charges

 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Wood County man, Evan Rockwell McEwuen, 24, of Vienna, pleaded guilty today to federal drug and gun charges.

According to court documents, a search warrant was executed at McEwuen’s residence in Vienna on August 5, 2020.  McEwuen was located in the residence at the time of the search and law enforcement officers found 149 grams of methamphetamine, over $14,000 in United States currency, plastic baggies, digital scales and four firearms in the room where McEwuen was located.  One firearm was loaded and was equipped with a device designed to convert the firearm into a machine gun.  A subsequent inspection confirmed that the firearm was successfully converted into a machine gun and was capable of fully automatic fire.  Officers also found approximately 143 grams of additional methamphetamine along with a sawed-off shotgun, plastic baggies and digital scales in a truck and construction trailer parked outside of McEwuen’s residence.  In total, officers located over 2000 rounds of ammunition during the execution of the search warrant.  McEwuen admitted to possessing all the evidence located in the residence and also admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others.  He was not legally permitted to possess firearms due to a 2016 felony conviction in the Circuit Court of Wood County for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. 

McEwuen pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and to being a felon in possession of firearms and faces between 15 and 20 years in prison when sentenced on August 18, 2021. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy B. Wolfe and Joshua C. Hanks are handling the prosecution.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Vienna Police Department, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Parkersburg Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force and the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the hearing. 

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-00166.