A Richmond resident, Tajon Rasheed Baskerville, 35, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentencing follows an incident on February 23, 2025, when Henrico County Police officers saw Baskerville going through a purse that had been stolen from a nearby vehicle.
During the encounter, police conducted a pat-down and discovered a firearm in a holster on Baskerville’s hip. When the officer attempted to secure him, Baskerville resisted and struck the officer. After both men drew their weapons, Baskerville threw his firearm aside and tried to run away but was soon apprehended by police.
Authorities recovered items belonging to the purse’s owner from Baskerville’s pockets and found her wallet in his shirt. Court records show that Baskerville had multiple prior convictions, including possession of controlled substances (2010 and 2012), felony probation violations (2012, 2014, twice in 2017), grand larceny (2015 and 2018), and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2022). As someone with these previous convictions, he is prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division worked alongside the Henrico County Police Division in investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted it.
According to the press release: “This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
More information about this case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or through PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-79.
