Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm

RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm with a high-capacity magazine.

According to court documents, in August, Richmond Police Department (RPD) officers observed Terrell Clarke-Conley, 22, of Richmond, as the passenger in a vehicle on a traffic stop at the intersection of Westwood Avenue and Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond. After identifying Clarke-Conley as a wanted fugitive, he attempted to flee after RPD officers asked him to step out of the vehicle. Following a brief struggle, RPD officers recovered a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 19 rounds in a high-capacity magazine, in Clarke-Conley’s possession. At the time of his possession of the firearm, Clarke-Conley had previously been convicted of a felony.

Clarke-Conley pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 21, 2019.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and William C. Smith, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert is prosecuting 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 are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-129.