Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Felon Previously Convicted of Shooting Into an Occupied Home Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man and self-avowed member of the Bloods Gang was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for possession of a firearm after being convicted of discharging a firearm in a public space on two separate occasions.
According to court documents, Alexander O’Neal Jackson, 36, was arrested on September 25, 2021, after he shot a firearm six times into a loaded parking lot at the St. Luke’s Apartment Complex on September 23. One of his bullets struck the vehicle transporting a mother and her minor son. Another bullet struck the apartment sliding door of another woman while she and her three children were inside. When arrested, Jackson was found in possession of a Taurus PT709, 9mm semiautomatic pistol.
An expert firearm and toolmark examiner conducted microscopic comparisons of test-fired cartridge cases fired from the pistol with the cartridge cases recovered from the apartment complex. The analysis confirmed that the cartridges were fired from the defendant’s pistol.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Colonel Eric D. English, Chief of Police for Henrico County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Simon prosecuted the case.
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.
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. 3:21-cr-142.