ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Two men were each sentenced today to five years in prison for their roles in a conspiracy to steal firearms from businesses in Virginia.
Preston G. Holmes III, 24, and Matthew D. Jones, 23, both of Prince George’s County, Maryland, were convicted by a federal jury on July 3 of conspiracy and theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Holmes and Jones participated in the burglary of a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in Chantilly, where they stole 35 semi-automatic handguns. Holmes and Jones were also involved in attempted thefts of firearms from FFLs in Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Arron J. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Rich prosecuted the case.
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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-67.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
