Man Sentenced to Prison for Third Federal Firearm Conviction

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 6 1/2 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted of a felon.

“Corey Spruill has a criminal history filled with violence,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “He has numerous convictions for assaulting women and children, and possessing firearms. This office is committed to aggressively prosecuting violent individuals like Mr. Spruill. I want to thank our law enforcement partners at the Richmond Police Department and the ATF for the efforts on this case.”

According to court documents, Corey Spruill, 41, was approached by Richmond police officers after the car he was driving failed to stop at an intersection. When the officer approached Spruill’s car, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a backpack containing marijuana, a digital scale, and baggies used to package narcotics. In addition, a loaded firearm was recovered from the center console of the car. Spruill was also in possession of a quantity of cocaine that he had inside a baggie in his pocket. Spruill has prior convictions for misdemeanor assault and battery, and was convicted in 1999 and again in 2005 of federal firearms charges, making this his third federal felony conviction. While Spruill was on bond on state charges associated with this case, he was arrested and later convicted of assault and battery of a family member.      

 “The ATF is dedicated to removing violent criminals and those that illegally possess and use illicit firearms from our streets,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division.  “This investigation demonstrates how ATF actively collaborates with its federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”

“This is a great example how the Richmond Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office work together to prosecute repeat offenders and keep our streets safer,” said Roger Russell, Acting Deputy Chief of the Richmond Police.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Alfred Durham, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller 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. 3:18-cr-32.