BUCKHANNON – An Upshur County man was arrested this week after he was allegedly found in possession of a stolen side-by-side and several firearms in October.
Robert C. Beam Jr., 27, of Buckhannon, was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 19, in connection to a parole check that occurred on Halloween, Oct. 31. He has been charged with five counts of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle, both felonies.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by Upshur County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. T.R. Collins, on Oct. 31, 2023, federal parole officers assisted by sheriff’s deputies conducted a home check at a residence/building located on Teter Crossing Road where multiple people resided.
During the home check, multiple items were allegedly recovered, including firearms, a stolen side-by-side, illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia. Additionally, Collins located a .22 long rifle on the hood of a vehicle parked directly in front of the entrance to the building where Beam was located.
Inside the building, law enforcement officers allegedly found drug paraphernalia, including scales with an unknown white substance on them. Deputies and federal parole officers also found a stolen side-by-side parked behind the house with a .380 handgun, a coat and a heavyweight vape on it, according to the file.
Another man who resided in the building reportedly admitted to having three other firearms in the residence, with one being a long gun that was in a soft case sitting in the corner of the kitchen/dining area. Officers found a pistol located inside a drawer of a furniture stand that was in the living room. Drug paraphernalia and multiple used red stamps were also allegedly discovered in the drawer.
An additional firearm – another pistol — was located inside a lock box beneath the TV stand in the living room. The man allegedly admitted to purchasing illegal narcotics – the previously found used red stamps near the pistol – from Beam in Beam’s bedroom, which is inside this residence, the file says.
The man also stated he believed Beam had stolen a gun.
The police report concludes that Beam was allegedly in possession and/or had access to approximately five different firearms, a stolen side-by-side, multiple rounds of ammunition for the firearms, and a white substance on a set of scales. Police believed the white substance was heroin or methamphetamine.
Beam was previously convicted of wanton endangerment involving a firearm and fleeing with reckless indifference, according to the criminal complaint.
Upshur County Magistrate Alan Suder set bail at $60,000 cash or surety.
The potential penalty for a conviction of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms is confinement in a state penitentiary for not more than five years, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.
The penalty for possession of a stolen vehicle is confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than two years, or, at the discretion of the court, confinement in the county jail for not more than one year and a fine of up to $500.
