Lynchburg man arrested on federal gun charge

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - A Lynchburg man has been charged with a federal gun crime after being traced to several incidents involving the illegal possession of a firearm, according to the United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Virginia.

Brandon Cole Webber, 27, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and is in federal custody.

Court documents say law enforcement received reports on May 5, 2022 of a person on Fifth Street in Lynchburg fall out of a moving car and then shoot toward the vehicle as it was being driven away.

The man, identified as Webber, asked a witness for a ride and attempted to get into the car as officers arrived, according to court documents. Officers located a loaded 9 mm handgun, a white bag containing suspected methamphetamine, and a wallet in the car where Webber was sitting, police say.

November 29, 2023, the Lynchburg Fire Department responded to reports of an overdose at the Lynchburg Grand Hotel, where responders found Webber lying face down in the bathroom of a hotel room. Firefighters found needles, a glass pipe, a bag containing suspected methamphetamine, and a Glock 38 handgun at the scene, and when the Lynchburg Police arrived, he fled. Police say Webber was arrested outside of the hotel shortly after.

According to court documents, Webber was charged with violating various state firearm statutes on November 30, 2023, but officers were unable to locate Webber after he was discharged from the hospital for treatment of an overdose.

Law enforcement believes Webber fled Lynchburg with the assistance of a former City of Lynchburg Community Corrections and Pretrial Services Agency Officer whom he began dating in August 2023. Officers add that the former officer, whose identity has not been released, was providing sensitive information not released to the public.

Court documents show the former officer’s credentials were used on five occasions to access the December 2023 search warrants executed for Webber during his Lynchburg hotel apprehension the month prior.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Lynchburg Police Department are investigating the case.