Man arrested on weapon charges following traffic stop

WAYNE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A suspect with a lengthy criminal history was arrested on weapon charges in the Fort Gay area, according to Wayne County Sheriff Rick Thompson.

The arrest occurred when the Wayne County Sheriff Drug Enforcement Unit stopped a vehicle. During the stop, officers found a loaded .45 caliber handgun concealed under the passenger seat.

The passenger, identified as Commodore Bell, was taken into custody.

Bell faces charges for being prohibited from possessing a firearm and for carrying a concealed weapon as a prohibited person.

Sheriff Thompson noted that Bell has an extensive history of violent crime, with previous felony convictions in West Virginia, including Conspiracy to Commit Robbery 1st Degree, multiple counts of Unlawful Assault, Malicious Assault/Malicious Wounding, and Arson in both the 1st and 4th degrees, among others.