Ronald Devon Matthews, Firearms Possession, Virginia 2023

NORFOLK, VA – A man with a prior felony conviction is headed to federal prison after authorities uncovered a substantial arsenal of firearms, ammunition, and drugs stashed in his home and storage unit. Ronald Devon Matthews, 36, of Isle of Wight, was sentenced today to 81 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

The case began to unravel on December 7, 2021, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Matthews’ Carrsville residence. Deputies found a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun and ammunition hidden under a sofa. A search of his bedroom revealed two 9mm pistols, magazines, additional ammunition, and a bulletproof vest secured inside a gun safe. Matthews had previously been convicted in Pennsylvania on June 27, 2018, of carrying a firearm without a license – a felony that should have barred him from possessing any weapons.

But the guns found at his home were just the beginning. While Matthews was cooling his heels in jail, investigators discovered he was attempting to cover his tracks. Phone calls from Matthews directed an accomplice to empty a storage unit in Franklin, VA. A subsequent search of that unit turned up a veritable armory: four rifles, four pistols, another shotgun, and over 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Adding to the severity of the charges, authorities also seized 2.2 kilograms of marijuana and a digital scale containing methamphetamine residue.

Two of the recovered firearms were particularly concerning. The ATF Firearms Technology Branch determined they were equipped with illegal “firearm silencers” or “firearm mufflers” – devices that can make weapons even more dangerous and difficult to trace. The sheer volume of weaponry, combined with the illegal modifications and Matthews’ prior criminal history, painted a clear picture of a dangerous individual, according to investigators.

U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, along with ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Darrell Logwood, Virginia State Police Superintendent Colonel Gary T. Settle, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. The Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance in the investigation.

In addition to the 81-month prison sentence and three years of supervised release, Matthews was ordered to forfeit the 14 firearms and over 2,000 rounds of ammunition seized during the searches. The case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – a program focused on reducing violent crime by targeting the most dangerous offenders and fostering community-based prevention and reentry initiatives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case. Court documents related to Case No. 2:22-cr-110 are available on PACER and the U.S. Attorney’s Office website.

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