Deandre Yellardy, Gun Possession by Felon, Virginia 2015

A shootout in the parking lot of the EZ Mart convenience store in South Richmond has landed two men behind bars. Deandre Yellardy, 24, of Richmond, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a crime he committed on June 12, 2014.

According to court documents, Deandre Yellardy, a masked gunman, fired multiple shots into a vehicle occupied by William Bell in the parking lot of the South Richmond EZ Mart convenience store. Both Bell and his passenger were wounded. Bell returned fire with a .40 caliber pistol, but failed to hit Yellardy.

Richmond Police officers stopped Yellardy in a vehicle as he was fleeing the scene and recovered both a 9mm firearm and mask in his possession. Shell casings from the EZ Mart shooting scene were later matched to the gun recovered from Yellardy. At the time of the shooting, Yellardy was a convicted felon, and as a result, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

On Sept. 22, 2014, Bell refused to stop for a Virginia State Police Trooper in Richmond related to a traffic offense. During the ensuing pursuit, Bell threw a .40 caliber pistol and approximately 13 grams of cocaine base from his vehicle. The firearm and cocaine were later recovered. Shell casings from the EZ Mart shooting scene were later forensically matched to the gun recovered from Bell. At the time of both incidents, Bell was a convicted felon, and as a result, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Deandre Yellardy pleaded guilty on March 20, 2015, and William Bell pleaded guilty on March 31, 2015. Both charges stem from the June 12, 2014, shootout in the parking lot of the EZ Mart convenience store in Southside Richmond.

The case was investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Richmond Police Department, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting the case.

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