A Portsmouth man, Joshaua Sheimel Anderson, 25, has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing took place today in Norfolk.
Court documents show that on February 16, 2024, police from Norfolk and Portsmouth stopped Anderson during a traffic stop and arrested him on outstanding warrants. During a search of his backpack, officers found a handgun with a machine gun conversion device and a 31-round extended magazine. They also recovered over one and a half pounds of suspected marijuana, several jars of suspected THC wax, and more than $2,200 in cash.
Anderson had previous convictions for grand larceny, felony eluding, hit and run, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As someone with these prior felony convictions, Anderson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police announced the sentencing after it was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.
"This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN)."
Further information about this case can be found on the website for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or by searching Case No. 2:25-cr-40 on PACER.
