Jury seating area - file photo.
Jury seating area - File Photo.

Richmond Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machine Gun

April 6, 2024

RICHMOND, VAA local man faces significant legal consequences after admitting to possessing a converted machine gun during a routine traffic stop.

Sterling Alexander Davis, 21, of Richmond, entered a guilty plea for the illegal possession of a machine gun. The plea follows a March 25, 2023, incident where Richmond police initiated a traffic stop after Davis failed to halt at an intersection. Despite Davis’s claim of having no firearms in the vehicle, a search revealed a Glock 45 9mm handgun with a conversion device capable of fully automatic fire, legally classifying it as a machine gun, under the driver’s seat.

Scheduled for sentencing on July 30, Davis could receive up to a decade in prison. However, federal sentencing practices often result in penalties less severe than the maximum. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.

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