Richmond Felon Chavelle Lamar Lewis Caught with 9mm Firearm

A Richmond felon has been caught red-handed with a 9mm firearm, and now he’s facing the music in federal court.

Chavelle Lamar Lewis, 35, of Richmond, Virginia, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lewis has prior felony convictions, including a 2009 conviction for robbery and use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony.

The guilty plea comes after two Richmond Police officers approached the 25th Street Market on February 13. As they watched three individuals, including Lewis, enter the store, the officers noticed Lewis had a bulge in his clothing and was walking with a limp.

The officers parked and walked into the store to speak with the clerks. One of the officers recognized Lewis from a prior traffic crash and caught up with him outside the store. Lewis initially denied having a gun, but eventually fled when the officer asked what kind of firearm it was.

The officer chased Lewis until he surrendered. A search of Lewis’s person revealed a 9mm firearm in his right pocket. Lewis’s prior convictions make it illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition.

Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven E. Anthony. The investigation was led by the Richmond Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division.