Man Sentenced for Gun Possession as Felon
Casey Rygh, 48, of Rochester, Minnesota, received a federal prison term for possessing a loaded pistol despite prior felony convictions.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Crime — General
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Casey Rygh, 48, of Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
Why it matters
The case illustrates federal enforcement of the prohibition on firearm possession by people with prior felony convictions, a prohibition that applies regardless of where the person lives. For West Virginia readers, it reflects federal prosecution efforts carried out through the U.S. Attorney's Office in the state.
Rygh was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Faber after being captured in Mercer County on August 25, 2025, with a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol. The sentence is to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The players
David A. Faber
Faber is a Senior United States District Judge who imposed the sentence in the case.
Brian D. Parsons
Parsons is an Assistant United States Attorney who prosecuted the case for the federal government.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
The ATF is the federal law enforcement agency that investigated the case alongside other agencies.
United States Marshals Service
The U.S. Marshals Service is a federal law enforcement agency that participated in the investigation and capture.
The details
Officers captured Rygh in the Matoaka area of Mercer County during Operation Rolling Waters, a warrant and fugitive sweep, and found a loaded pistol in his waistband. His prior felony convictions for two counts of felony murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery were entered in Logan County Circuit Court on December 15, 1997.
Timeline
December 15, 1997: Rygh's prior felony convictions were entered in Logan County Circuit Court.
August 25, 2025: Law enforcement officers captured Rygh in Mercer County and found the loaded pistol.
November 9, 2026: Rygh was sentenced to prison in federal court.
Legal Context
The case was prosecuted under the federal felon-in-possession statute, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. It reflects the federal government's use of that statute to target firearm possession by people with prior felony convictions.
The case reflects federal enforcement of firearm restrictions for people with prior felony convictions, which applies statewide in West Virginia. Residents can see how federal prosecutors and task forces coordinate gun-related cases across the state.
The takeaway
Federal law bars people with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms, and violations can bring multi-year prison terms followed by supervised release. Cases like this one are prosecuted through coordinated federal and task force efforts.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Crime — General in West Virginia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The United States Department of Justice.
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