BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — United States Attorney Will Thompson announced Friday, November 4, 2022, a third man involved in the Beckley-Philadelphia gun trafficking ring pleaded guilty.

Shyheem Woodard-Smith, also known as “Peanut” and “Nut,” 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to interstate travel with the intent to engage in dealing firearms without a license. Woodard-Smith admitted to a role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.

Woodard-Smith further admitted to obtaining over 140 firearms with Jones, Woodard, and Abdullah between early 2020 and mid-2021. Approximately 45 of those trafficked firearms were recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia, and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses.

“This is another important milestone in bringing these traffickers to justice. There can be no tolerance of the illegal trafficking of firearms. I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for the investigative work and Assistant United States Attorney Negar M. Kordestani for securing the guilty pleas in this case.”

United States Attorney Will Thompson

Woodard-Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. An additional seven individuals have pleaded guilty to firearms offenses related to the same interstate gun trafficking conspiracy.