Two Oak Hill Men Sentenced in Federal Firearms Case

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Oak Hill men have been sentenced in federal court for possessing firearms after felony convictions, U.S. Attorney Moore Capito announced.
Jawuan Akil Watts, 31, was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Lesley Scott Watkins, 50, received three years and ten months in prison, also followed by three years of supervised release. Both men pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of firearms.
The charges stem from a July 2024 burglary spree at a Fayette County pawn shop. Court records show Watts and others broke into the business three times while it was closed, stealing 33 firearms along with ammunition, coins, and a gaming console. Prosecutors said Watts sold, traded, or gave many of the stolen guns to people in the Oak Hill area, including individuals with felony records.
Watkins acquired several of the stolen firearms and sold two to a confidential informant. A search warrant executed at his home on July 6, 2024, led officers to recover three firearms, two of which were confirmed stolen from the pawn shop. Sixteen of the stolen firearms remain missing.
As part of their guilty pleas, Watts admitted to possessing two revolvers, while Watkins admitted to possessing two pistols, all identified as stolen weapons.