RICHMOND, Va. — A 27-year-old Richmond man was sentenced on Wednesday to two years and three months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Court documents show that on Jan. 26, 2024, Mario Leequan Thorne was seen by Richmond Police waving a semi-automatic handgun during a verbal altercation at a convenience store. When officers arrived at the scene, Thorne was found sitting in a vehicle with six young, unsecured children inside.
Officers detained Thorne and searched the driver’s seat area, recovering a handgun, his Virginia ID, 2.32 grams of fentanyl, 3.07 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale. Thorne, who was previously convicted of possession of a concealed weapon in 2022, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his felony status.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, commended the coordinated effort of local and federal law enforcement in the case. “Protecting our communities from illegal firearms and narcotics is a top priority,” Aber said in a statement.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Wright, with contributions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Richmond Police Department, and the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.