News

ABINGDON, Va. – A convicted felon from Galax, Va., who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced Friday to 36 months in federal prison following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Shane Mathis, 30, pled guilty in November 2025 to one count of being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm while also being a user and addict of any controlled substance.

ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who spent two years on the run as a fugitive in Mexico before being arrested in March, was sentenced recently to 18 months in prison for failing to register as a convicted sex offender.

Corey Richard Parton, 36, pled guilty in September 2025 to failing to register and update a registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and failing to provide information required by SORNA relating to intended travel in foreign commerce.

ABINGDON, Va. – A pair of Maryland men who conspired with Dr. Rotimi Iluyomade, an Annandale-based doctor convicted of distributing more than 7,000 oxycodone pills, 34,000 milliliters of hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine solution (also known as “tussionex”), and 107,000 milliliters of promethazine-codeine solution (“also known as lean”), pled guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

Obioma Alozie Ndubuka, 32, a.k.a. “Bank Roll” of Derwood, Maryland, and Raymono Alfonzo Russell II, 25, of Bowie, Maryland, pled guilty recently to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the

ABINGDON, Va. – A 68-year-old doctor, who worked at Smyth County Community Hospital and allegedly had a sexual relationship with an underage female coworker that included exchanging explicit imagines with the victim, was arrested yesterday by the FBI.

Michael Kevin Patrick, of Sugar Grove, Va., was arrested yesterday and charged via federal criminal complaint with receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He made his initial court appearance today in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

ROANOKE, Va. – A South Boston, Va., man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for brandishing a machine gun and possessing distribution quantities of cocaine. 

Following a two-day jury trial in May 2025, Richard Elijah Jacobs, 27, was found guilty of possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, possessing a machine gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Today the Western District of Virginia observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks

ABINGDON, Va. – A former resident of Lebanon, Virginia was sentenced recently to 27 months on federal methamphetamine and firearm charges in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

Brett Lamar Howard, 35, of West Palm Beach, Fla., pled guilty in September 2025 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm by a prohibited person.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A convicted felon who sold a pistol and several rifles, at least two of which were classified as machine guns, was sentenced this week to four years in federal prison.

Les Christopher Burns, 44, of Lynchburg, Va., pled guilty in October 2025 to one count of possessing a machine, one count of possessing two machine guns and a short barrel rifle which were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

CHARLOTTESVILE, Va. – Gustavo Quintero, who was indicted by a federal grand jury last month for the repeated sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old Albemarle County girl months after he, and another man, got her so intoxicated she couldn’t walk, made his initial appearance in federal court today.

The indictment charges Quintero, 25, with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography.

The second defendant, Bryan Sixto Arias-Chicas, 23, a citizen of El Salvador who previously had his green card revoked

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Buckingham County man, who was unlawfully found in possession of a firearm after being previously convicted of a felony, pled guilty this week in federal court.

Jerry Dean Robertson Jr., 36, pled guilty this week to distributing, and possessing with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Robertson faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence on the drug distribution offense.

ABINGDON, Va. – Joseph Rimero Rutherford, 34, of North Carolina, was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failing to register as a sex offender in Virginia, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), after he began living in Bristol, Virginia.

ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who robbed his one-time roommate for drugs and drug proceeds and later shot and killed someone who attempted to rob him, was sentenced yesterday to 165 months in federal prison.

Damon Tyler Mills, 29, pled guilty in April 2025 to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.