NORFOLK, Va. – Leonard Clarence Davis,
43, of Virginia Beach, Va., was sentenced today in Norfolk federal court to
nine years in prison for transferring 16 unregistered machine guns, and to five
years in prison for possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a
felony. The sentences are to run consecutively.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney
for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after Davis was
sentenced by United States District Senior Judge Robert G. Doumar. Davis
previously pled guilty to the charges on December 20, 2011.
According to court records, Davis and
co-defendant Christopher Aaron Phillips were the targets of a joint
investigation in the fall of 2011. During the investigation, Davis and Phillips
sold 26 fully automatic machine guns and 65 homemade pipe bombs to an
undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent in a
series of undercover purchases that took place in September and October of
2011. At the conclusion of the investigation, agents and police detectives
executed federal search warrants and arrest warrants on October 28, 2011, at
Davis’ residence on Sunstream Parkway, and Phillips’ place of business, Combat
Weapons’ Coatings on Pleasure House Drive, both located in Virginia Beach.
Davis’ co-defendant Phillips pled guilty in federal court to one count of
conspiracy to transfer machine guns on May 8, 2012. His sentencing is scheduled
for September 6, 2012.
This case was investigated by the ATF;
the Chesapeake Police Department; and Naval Criminal Investigative Services.
Assistant United States Attorney Sherrie S. Capotosto is prosecuting the case on
behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be
found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern
District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court
documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on
https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
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