Richmond felon sentenced to over four years in prison for illegal possession of firearm

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A 26-year-old Richmond man has been sentenced to four years and 2 months in prison due to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents from April 25, 2024, while officers from the Richmond Police Department were speaking with a group of people sitting outside of apartment homes in Richmond's Creighton Court neighborhood, an officer saw a clear plastic bag with a powdery white substance fall out of Marcellus Cheatham's pocket.

Afterward, officers retrieved the bag and tried to detain him, they noticed a loaded firearm in Cheatham's waistband.

According to police, Cheatham was also in possession of a razor, 21.77 grams of cocaine, hydrochloride, and 5.73 grams of crystalline material containing cocaine.

Prior to this incident, officials said Cheatham was previously convicted of robbery, attempted robbery, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Due to his previous history, Cheatham cannot possess firearms or ammunition.