Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
A Richmond man, Joshua J. Jernigan, has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing firearms as a felon. The sentencing was announced by Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division.
Court documents reveal that on December 26, 2023, officers from the Colonial Heights Police Department visited Jernigan's residence for an unrelated issue. Upon obtaining permission to search his home, they discovered a loaded pistol magazine in the garage. This led to a warrant being issued for a more thorough search which uncovered 28 firearms and five unregistered silencers.
Jernigan had previously been convicted in Chesterfield County in 2004 on charges including conspiracy/statutory burglary and possession of burglarious tools. As a result of these convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller and is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This initiative aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities.
Information related to this case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia as well as through PACER by searching Case No. 3:24-cr-104.
