Convicted felon receives two years in jail for illegally possessing firearm in New Kent

By Andre Jones | July 10, 2023 8:11 pm

A Providence Forge man, who is also a convicted felon, will spend two years in jail for illegally possession a firearm.

Stacey Rodell Moody Jr., 30, of the 3800 block of Minitree Glen Drive, entered guilty pleas to one count each of possession of a Schedule I/II drug and possession of a weapon by a nonviolent felon as part of a plea agreement reached Monday afternoon in New Kent Circuit Court. One count of possession of a gun while in possession of a Schedule I/II drug was dropped as part of the agreement.

In a summary of evidence provided by New Kent Commonwealth Attorney Scott Renick, on Nov. 23, 2022, a New Kent deputy conducting routine patrol clocked a vehicle speeding at the intersection of Courthouse Road (155) and Pocahontas Trail (Route 60) and conducted a traffic stop. As the officer got out of his car, the offender got out of his vehicle. As the officer ordered the driver back into the car and approached, he noticed plastic bags in the vehicle. The officer also noticed a firearm in plain view on the floorboard of the vehicle.

The deputy received information on the driver, now identified as Moody, and discovered he was a convicted felon. By law, a convicted felon is not allowed to be in possession of a weapon. The officer arrested Moody, and a search of the vehicle discovered a plastic bag with pills inside of it. Moody told the officer that the pills were ecstasy. The pills were sent off to the forensics lab, with results revealing it was methamphetamine.

Under the agreement, Moody received a five-year sentence with three years suspended on the possession of a firearm by a nonviolent felon conviction. The two years he will serve are mandatory under statute. All 10 years on the possession of a Schedule I/II drug were suspended.

In an unrelated case, a New Kent man who failed to complete terms of the First Offender Program has been sentenced on three charges.

Michael James Holt, 33, entered no contest pleas to one count each of possession of a Schedule I/II drug, misdemeanor reckless driving, and misdemeanor contempt of court during a Feb. 13 trial. As part of the pleas, he was ordered to complete the First Offender Program, a program that is designed to dismiss charges if it is successfully completed. However, Holt failed to meet those terms and was reported to the court system to receive sentencing.

Holt received a five-year sentence on the possession of a Schedule I/II drug. He received a $500 fine on the misdemeanor reckless driving conviction, and received a 30-day sentence with all time suspended on the misdemeanor contempt of court charge.