A Norfolk man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Lloyd Levi Hardy, also known as Blu or Trap Monster, 41, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, psilocyn, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Court documents state that in September 2023, Virginia Beach Police obtained state arrest warrants for Hardy on charges related to a shooting into an occupied apartment where a woman and children were present. The charges included brandishing a firearm, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Law enforcement arrested Hardy on October 10, 2023, at a hotel in Virginia Beach.
“Lloyd Hardy has earned a sentence as substantial as his criminal record,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As an armed drug dealer, with outstanding arrest warrants for violent crimes at the time of his arrest, Hardy is exactly the type of threat to our citizens that we work every day to identify and remove from our communities. In coordination with the FBI and our state and local partners, my office will continue to hold career offenders such as Lloyd Hardy responsible for their abhorrent actions.”
“This repeat offender’s criminal career ends here,” said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “Working with the Virginia Beach Police Department, we brought the full force of federal resources to bear—putting a dangerous individual behind bars and sending a clear message: if you peddle drugs and carry guns in our community, we will find you, and we will stop you.”
“The VBPD continues to aggressively focus on career offenders, and we are grateful for our federal partners assisting us in holding them accountable for the danger they present to our community,” said Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police. “Every day, our officers put their lives on the line to keep drugs off our streets and firearms out of the hands of those who cannot legally possess them or those who intend to inflict harm in our neighborhoods. Ensuring accountability for ongoing felony activity helps keep Virginia Beach safe.”
“Thanks to the tireless work of our local, state, and federal partners, another dangerous criminal is off our streets,” said Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia. “This sentence makes it clear that repeat violent offenders and drug dealers will be held accountable in Virginia. My office will keep working with law enforcement across the Commonwealth to protect our communities and keep violent criminals behind bars.”
When police searched Hardy’s vehicle after his arrest they found about $1,600 in cash along with over 13 grams of cocaine, more than 14 grams of heroin, nearly 12 grams of psilocyn (a hallucinogen), and four firearms—including one reported stolen. One weapon was linked by ballistics analysis to the earlier shooting incident. Authorities also recovered a cellphone containing messages dating back several years regarding illegal drug sales.
Hardy had previous convictions including grand larceny, destruction of property, obstructing justice, unlawful delivery of controlled substances or possession thereof while prohibited from doing so by law due either previous conviction(s) or probationary status; eluding police; endangerment; burglary—all committed while under conditions imposed due prior convictions.
He pled guilty on November 19th last year before Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr., who handed down today’s sentence.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan M. Montoya with assistance from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller (now Assistant Attorney General).
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which coordinates efforts between different levels of law enforcement agencies aiming at reducing gun violence through focused strategies—details can be found at Project Safe Neighborhoods. The Department strengthened this initiative beginning May 26th three years ago through new principles emphasizing trust-building within communities alongside targeted enforcement measures.
Further details about this case can be accessed via the U.S. Attorney’s Office website or by searching Case No. 2:24-cr-45 on PACER.
