Robert Edgar English, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Virginia 2023
A Portsmouth man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and making online threats to his ex-girlfriend.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2019, Robert Edgar English, 40, accompanied another person to a firearms retailer in Chesapeake, Virginia, and provided money for the straw purchase of a semi-automatic firearm.
On June 16, 2019, during a traffic stop in Portsmouth, Virginia, law enforcement seized the firearm from the vehicle's trunk, as well as an attached drum magazine with 26 rounds of ammunition and a 60-round capacity.
In 2005, English was convicted in Kings County, New York, of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. As a previously convicted felon, English cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
On Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, 2021, English threatened his ex-girlfriend through messages from a Facebook account under the name 'Howard Barnes.' Among other messages, English threatened that the victim 'better be looking for the reaper' and that he would 'black out your whole family.'
On Nov. 13, 2023, English pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and interstate threatening communication.
Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. handed down the 15-year sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi prosecuted the case. Former Assistant United States Attorney William B. Jackson also provided assistance on this case.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →