A Charleston man with a prior felony conviction is accused of leaving a gun in the trash can of a Kanawha County restaurant and pleaded guilty in the case. 63-year old Scott Phalen pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Prosecutors said Phalen, who had a prior felony conviction for sexual abuse, admitted to placing a pistol in a trash can at a Kanawha city restaurant in July 2022. Phalen is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22 and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.