Portsmouth drug trafficker sentenced for illegally possessing firearms

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms.

According to court documents, on April 24, 2023, officers with Portsmouth Special Investigations Unit arrested Ryan Patrick Duggan, 41, on outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions, in the parking lot of a Motel 6 located in downtown Portsmouth.

At the time of the arrest, Duggan was working on a red moped in the parking lot.  Law enforcement had observed Duggan in and around two BMW vehicles and a motorcycle. The moped and motorcycle were later identified as having been stolen. A law enforcement K-9 alerted on both BMW vehicles.

Law enforcement obtained search warrants for the BMW vehicles and Duggan’s room at the Motel 6. In the room, investigators found a 9mm handgun with no serial number, ammunition, and suspected narcotics. The handgun was equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), enabling the handgun to operate as a fully automatic firearm.

 One of the BMW vehicles displayed a North Carolina rear license plate that was not associated with it. Detectives searched the vehicle and recovered ammunition, a loaded magazine, a pill bottle containing suspected narcotics, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .223 rifle, a .726 rifle, and a 9mm pistol with a collapsible stock. The suspected narcotics were later determined to be 13 pills of gabapentin, .5328 grams of methamphetamine, and 10.9 grams of fentanyl.

Duggan has nine previous felony convictions. As a previously convicted felon, Duggan cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, 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, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Cheney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, 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 are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-80.