NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for trafficking firearms in a Virginia Beach apartment complex.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2021, Tyereis Smith, 19, along with Jhaimeek Carter, 19, also of Virginia Beach, illegally sold an Honor Guard 9-millimeter pistol, a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle, and a Bay State 12-gauge sawed off shotgun in exchange for money. In the two weeks that followed, Smith was involved in the sale of two additional firearms, one of which was sold to a convicted felon.
On March 28, 2021, Virginia Beach Police executed search warrants on Smith’s and Carter’s residences. In Smith’s apartment, they found marijuana, digital scales, and ammunition. In Carter’s apartment, they recovered crack cocaine, ammunition, and a firearm.
Smith is a law enforcement-confirmed member of Bounty Hunter Watts, a set of the Bloods gang. Carter is also gang-affiliated and was sentenced to 30 months in prison on January 25.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-92.