A Richmond man, Walter Lavelle Allen, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentencing comes after Allen, a previously convicted felon, was found with a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol in his possession.
According to court documents, Richmond Police observed Allen displaying the firearm in an Instagram story before finding him asleep in a parked vehicle with the weapon under his leg. Allen's previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine prohibited him from legally owning a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, along with other officials, announced the sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman.
In response to the incident, Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, emphasized the seriousness of the offense, stating, "As a previously convicted felon, Allen cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition."
The details of the case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-121.