ROANOKE, VIRGINIA - United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced today the sentencing of a Roanoke man who previously pled guilty in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke to a federal gun charge.
Andrew D. Fluellen, 30, of Roanoke, Va., previously pled guilty to one count of being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm. Today in District Court, Fluellen was sentenced to 46 months in prison.
“In order to keep our communities safe, we will continue to be vigilant in taking guns out of the hands of prohibited users like Mr. Fluellen," United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said today.
According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford, on the evening of April 18, 2015, officers with the Roanoke City Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on foot patrol in the area of Lansdowne Apartments as part of Roanoke City’s violence prevention efforts. During that foot patrol officers observed Fluellen approaching them, however, as soon as the defendant saw the officers he immediately changed direction, turned and walked briskly between apartment buildings, as if to avoid the officers. The officers were curious about this course of action and followed Fluellen’s route.
Almost immediately officers discovered a pistol under a bush along the route the defendant had traveled. One officer stayed where the pistol had been found while the other officers searched for Fluellen. Shortly thereafter, Fluellen returned and walked directly toward where the pistol was located. As soon as Fluellen saw the officer guarding the pistol, he again made a sudden change of direction, walking away from the officer. Fluellen was arrested and later admitted that the pistol was his and that he had obtained it to protect his family.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke City Police. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford prosecuted the case for the United States.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
