A 22-year-old Newport News man, Khalil Rashad Armstrong, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for the unlawful purchase and possession of a firearm that was used in three community shootings, according to court documents.
On February 21, 2021, Armstrong asked his older cousin to purchase a handgun for him. However, at the time, Armstrong was only 20 years old and not old enough to purchase a handgun himself. Armstrong gave his cousin the money to purchase the firearm and selected the make and model.
Armstrong’s cousin made false oral and written statements to a local licensed firearm dealer in order to straw-purchase the firearm for Armstrong. The firearm was recovered by police on July 27, 2021, at the crime scene of a local rival gang shootout approximately 125 days after it was purchased.
Forensic ballistics confirmed the firearm had been used in two other shootings, once on May 2, 2021, resulting in property damage, and once on February 21, 2021, the same day it was purchased.
Armstrong’s cousin and co-defendant, Destiny Na’iymah Davis, 23, of Newport News, pleaded guilty to a felony for her role in the unlawful straw-purchase of the firearm on May 12. According to court documents, the United States recommended a non-custodial sentence for Davis due to mitigating circumstances and her swift acceptance of responsibility for her role in the offense.
Davis was sentenced to 18 months’ probation on December 5, 2022.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf, and the announcement was made by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes after sentencing.
The incident highlights the importance of responsible gun ownership and the consequences of unlawful firearm purchases. As the case demonstrates, straw-purchasing a firearm can have severe consequences, including lengthy prison sentences.
Newport News, Virginia, May 12, 2022
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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