Morgan County Circuit Judge Debra McLaughlin handed down sentencing in the felony case against Melvin Gallion of Flintstone, Md. stemming from a domestic violence incident in Berkeley Springs on July 26, 2025 in which Gallion shot a Morgan County deputy.

Gallion, 40, was sentenced to 56.5 to 125 years in prison for a collection of felony convictions, in which all prison terms are to be served back-to-back.

Morgan County Prosecuting Attorney Dan James requested that Gallion be sentenced to the maximum period of incarceration permitted by state law. Judge McLaughlin granted that request.

According to evidence presented by police, Gallion arrived at the residence of a former partner in the early morning hours of last July 26 and broke into the home near Spohrs Crossroads after banging on the door and refusing to leave.

Gallion shot two dogs at the residence in front of minors who lived at the home and assaulted the adult resident. By the time police responded to a 911 call for a burglary, the occupants of the residence had fled out the back door.

When officers responded, Gallion turned his shotgun on deputies and shot Deputy Bradley Meacham four times. The deputy was hit by shot above his eye and in his hand.

Officers returned fire and shot Gallion, who was transported to Berkeley Medical Center for treatment.

Deputy Meacham was treated locally and later had surgery as treatment for his wounds.

West Virginia State Police Commander Sgt. Sam Smith investigated the incident because of the officer-involved shooting.

Court records indicate that Morgan County officers had previously responded to the same residence months before for a physical domestic incident in which Gallion broke a glass shower surround while the victim was inside, then grabbed the victim by the throat in an attempted strangulation.

At last week’s sentencing hearing, the court heard victim statements from two members of the household who were at the residence at the time of the shootings. Their statements were entered into the court record for the case.

On April 9 in Morgan County Circuit Court, Gallion was sentenced to:

–1 to 5 years for Strangulation

–1 year for Domestic Battery

–1 year for Destruction of Property

–1 to 15 years for Attempted First Degree Murder

–3 to 15 years for Attempted First Degree Murder

— 3 to 15 years for Malicious Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer

— 2 to 10 years for Malicious Assault

— 1 to 15 years for Burglary

— 5 years for each of four counts of Wanton Endangerment Involving a Firearm

— 1 to 10 years for Child Neglect Creating a Risk of Death or Serious Bodily Injury

— 5 years for Felony in Possession of a Firearm

— 2 to 10 years for Assault during the Commission of a Felony

— 10 years for Use of a Firearm during the Commission of Felony

— 1 to 5 years for each of two counts of Malicious Killing of an Animal

— 1 to 10 years for each of two counts of Destruction of Property.

All sentences will be served consecutively, with prison terms to be served before any regional jail terms. The court did not grant any credit for time served.

If Gallion should be released from prison in his lifetime, he must also serve 50 years of supervised release and he will be required to register with the Child Abuse and Neglect Registration.