Two men from the Richmond area have been sentenced to prison and a third has been convicted for illegally possessing firearms as felons, following investigations by local law enforcement.
Court documents show that Devon Sherman Mickins, 26, was first noticed by Richmond Police in August 2024 after he posted a photo on Instagram holding a rifle. Days later, police observed Mickins with the same rifle outside his apartment. Officers approached and took him into custody without incident, recovering both the rifle and another firearm from his residence. Mickins had previous felony convictions for malicious wounding, robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon in 2019 and 2021. He pleaded guilty in March and was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
In another case, Javion Stamper, 25, was seen by police with what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband on September 29, 2024. When officers attempted to investigate further, Stamper fled but was apprehended after a short pursuit. The firearm he tried to hide was found loaded and determined to be stolen; Stamper had previously been convicted of robbery in 2019. He pleaded guilty in April and received a sentence of one year and nine months from Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. The prosecution team included Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.
On May 7, Henrico County Police stopped Ross Allan Jefferson, 44, who had outstanding warrants in Richmond and Petersburg. During the stop, officers found a loaded handgun with an extended magazine under his seat; its serial number had been removed. A search revealed additional ammunition on Jefferson’s person. At arrest time Jefferson already had ten adult felony convictions dating back to 2002 for offenses including drug distribution and possession of ammunition by a felon in 2015. Jefferson pleaded guilty this week to being a felon in possession of a firearm; sentencing is scheduled for November where he could face up to fifteen years.
The announcement came jointly from Erik S. Siebert (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia), Anthony A. Spotswood (Special Agent in Charge at ATF Washington Field Division), Rick Edwards (Richmond Police Chief), Eric D. English (Henrico County Police Chief), Jason S. Miyares (Attorney General of Virginia), and Colette Wallace McEachin (Commonwealth’s Attorney for Richmond).
Further information can be found at the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia’s website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/august-20-2025-richmond-area-felons-convicted-sentenced-federal-firearms-crimes
