BUCKHANNON — An Upshur County man faces a felony charge after allegedly carrying a concealed weapon and pointing it at an aggressive dog.

Sinquea Antwan Thomas, 20, is charged with one count of carrying a concealed deadly weapon. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $15,000 cash-only bond.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Cpl. T.R. Collins with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on Oct. 4, Collins was informed of a male who was “carrying a rifle and chasing a dog” near Stony Run in Upshur County. Collins was then told the male subject was in a vehicle at an ATM at Wendling’s Plaza.

When Collins arrived at Wendling’s Plaza, he saw a vehicle at the ATM with two occupants inside, the complaint states. Collins ordered the occupants to show their hands and two occupants complied as Collins safety retrieved a firearm with a loaded magazine from the male subject’s lap. Both occupants exited the vehicle and were detained without incident.

The occupants were identified as Thomas and a female subject, who was the driver, the complaint states. Thomas allegedly admitted to Collins that he possibly had some “shake” loose marijuana in the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, Collins writes that he located a backpack that contained multiple unopened THC vapes (0% CBD, approx. 87% THC) and four bundles of U.S. currency totaling approximately $4,000 in $20 bills. Thomas allegedly told Collins that the THC vapes and the currency belonged to the female driver, not him.

According to the complaint, Thomas allegedly admitted to Collins that he left his residence at Stony Run and had been walking to the nearby laundry mat when he encountered a dog, “which was acting aggressive and barking at him.” 

Thomas allegedly said he yelled and barked back at the dog, however, when that did not deter the dog, Thomas “pulled his gun from his backpack” the complaint states. Thomas also allegedly stated that he yelled at the dog’s owner to get the dog. The female driver witnessed this event as she drove past and stopped to tell Thomas to get in the vehicle before driving to the ATM where Collins found the two.

While Collins was speaking with Thomas, a witness to the event pulled into the lot and spoke with another officer, stating that they allegedly saw Thomas pull the firearm out from his backpack, the complaint states. Collins writes that, due to the rifle “not having a butt-stock,” it was easier to conceal the weapon in the backpack. Thomas allegedly admitted to Collins that he had the rifle in his backpack because “he could not own a pistol and he did not want to get in trouble for brandishing.”

Another witness allegedly told officers that they observed Thomas “in the yard, near the pool… yelling and pointing a gun at the dog,” the complaint states.