Richmond Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in EZ Mart Shootout

RICHMOND, Va. – Deandre Yellardy, 24, of Richmond, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  William Bell, 30, also of Richmond, was sentenced yesterday to 84 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base.  Both charges stem from a June 12, 2014, shootout in the parking lot of the EZ Mart convenience store in Southside Richmond.

Yellardy plead guilty on March 20, 2015, and Bell pleaded guilty on March 31, 2015.  According to court documents, on June 12, 2014, a masked gunman later identified as Yellardy fired multiple shots into a vehicle occupied by Bell in the parking lot of the South Richmond EZ Mart convenience store.  Both Bell and his passenger were wounded.  Bell returned fire with a .40 caliber pistol, but failed to hit Yellardy.  Richmond Police officers stopped Yellardy in a vehicle as he was fleeing the scene and recovered both a 9mm firearm and mask in his possession.  Bell fled the scene and failed to report the incident to police.  Shell casings from the EZ Mart shooting scene were later matched to the gun recovered from Yellardy.  At the time of the shooting, Yellardy was a convicted felon, and as a result, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.   

On Sept. 22, 2014, Bell refused to stop for a Virginia State Police Trooper in Richmond related to a traffic offense.  During the ensuing pursuit, Bell threw a .40 caliber pistol and approximately 13 grams of cocaine base from his vehicle.  The firearm and cocaine were later recovered.  Shell casings from the EZ Mart shooting scene were later forensically matched to the gun recovered from Bell.  At the time of both incidents, Bell was a convicted felon, and as a result, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Charles E. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

This case was investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Richmond Police Department, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No.’s 3:15-cr-19 and 3:15cr20.

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