Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegal Possession of Firearm

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.

According to court documents, Shalik Mitchell, 26, was discovered sleeping inside of a car approximately 20-30 feet from the body of a homicide victim. Mitchell, a convicted felon, was sitting on an AK pistol. There is no evidence that Mitchell was involved with the homicide.    

Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on November 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Holli R. Wood and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-055.