Social media post lands Charles City man three years of incarceration

A Charles City man will spend the next three years in prison after a video of him discharging firearms was discovered during an investigation.

Gary Odell Lowe Jr., 38, accepted a plea agreement to an amended charge of possession of a weapon by a nonviolent felon (originally possession of a weapon by a violent felon) during Friday morning proceedings in Charles City Circuit Court.

In a summary of evidence provided by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Tyler, in October 2015 Williamsburg Sheriff’s Office contacted Charles City Sheriff’s Office in assistance to locate Lowe, a person of interest in a case in Williamsburg. Upon assisting, a Charles City investigator discovered a video posted on Lowe’s social media account from Aug. 2015 showing Lowe using a rifle and firing at buckets. A warrant was issued and the defendant’s house was searched with the rifle and ammunition recovered. Lowe, who had been identified as a convicted felon, was later located and taken into custody.

Under the plea agreement, Lowe received a five-year sentence with two years suspended (three to serve with two years being the mandatory minimum under state statute). The agreement also prevents Lowe from receiving a probation violation in Charles City stemming from this incident.