A Gloucester man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The sentence will be served consecutively to a five-year term previously imposed by the Commonwealth of Virginia for related offenses.
According to court documents, Allen Dowell, 59, was investigated after he posted videos on social media in August 2023 threatening violence against deputies from the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office and their families following his adult son’s arrest. The investigation revealed that Dowell possessed a firearm in these videos and discussed marijuana cultivation at his home. Law enforcement later arrested him at his residence, where they found 20 firearms, about 1,000 rounds of ammunition, various firearm parts and accessories, suspected silencers or suppressors, and more than 400 marijuana plants.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, stated: “This case demonstrates how the convergence of multiple criminal acts heightens the danger to our communities. A convicted felon cultivating a Schedule I narcotic while stockpiling firearms and ammunition felt emboldened to threaten deputies and their families in retaliation for doing their jobs. This conduct is precisely why we remain committed to holding individuals like Allen Dowell accountable when they choose to disregard the law.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood commented: “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who endanger our communities with illegal firearms and narcotics, and who attempt to intimidate law enforcement through threats, will be held fully accountable. We are committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe, and we will not tolerate violence, criminal activity, or efforts to undermine the safety of law enforcement.”
In January 2025, Dowell was sentenced by the Circuit Court of the County of Gloucester to five years for obstruction and resisting arrest by threat or force after barricading himself during a standoff with officers in September 2023. His three-year federal sentence will begin after completing his state sentence.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter G. Osyf and Alyson C. Yates.
