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Discovery of firearms leads to Randolph County man’s arrest

William Randolph Harris Jr.

ELKINS — A Randolph County man was arrested after allegedly being found in possession of three firearms and multiple cartridges as a convicted felon.

William Randolph Harris Jr., 52, of Elkins, is charged with one felony count of persons prohibited from possessing firearms. He is housed at Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond, set by Randolph County Magistrate George M. “Mike” Riggleman.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Randolph County Magistrate Court, on Friday, Federal Officer and Deputy Sheriff D.K. Frazier conducted a search of a blue Volkswagen Jetta that was in Harris’ possession.

While searching the vehicle, Frazier discovered a Wards Western Field Deluxe 12-gauge shotgun, a Winchester Model 1894 .32-caliber rifle and a Winchester Model 94 12-gauge shotgun, the complaint states.

Frazier also located in Harris’ possession a .30-06 cartridge, .30-30 cartridge and .22-caliber cartridge within the vehicle. Harris had voluntarily told Frazier that he possessed rifles within the vehicle, the complaint states.

A criminal history check revealed that Harris was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior domestic battery conviction. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 12 days in jail in 2009.

He also pleaded guilty to unlawful assault and had been sentenced to one to five years in jail and three years of probation in 1999, according to the complaint.

Other arrests recorded in Randolph County:

∫ Stanley Roy Watson Jr., 30, of Elkins, is charged with one felony count of grand larceny. He is housed at TVRJ on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

On Sept. 14, Senior Deputy M.P. Dyer, of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the Dollar General Store on the Beverly Five-lane regarding a theft complaint, according to court documents.

After arriving on scene, Dyer spoke with the store manager who said someone had stolen two of the store’s hand-held scanners, used for scanning merchandise. Dyer notes in the report that the scanners are Android devices and look similar to a cellular phone.

The store manager played security footage which shows a male individual enter the office in the rear of the store, which she claimed were the scanning devices.

On the video the male can be seen walking down one of the aisles and meeting with a female where the two have a conversation and appear to exchange the stolen items, the complaint states.

Dyer suspected the identity of the female so he traveled to her mother’s home, showed her the footage and she identified the female as her daughter. She also identified the male as her son-in-law, Watson.

The managers told Dyer the scanners are valued at $750 each, for a total of $1,500, according to the complaint.

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