RICHMOND, Va. - A Richmond man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on March 28, Richmond Police detained Brandale Trayvon Cooper, 36, on an active warrant for a felony probation violation. At that time, Cooper was carrying a satchel containing a firearm, which Cooper claimed to have stolen from a group of teenagers a month earlier while he was in the area to obtain narcotics. The firearm was loaded with a round in the chamber. In addition to the firearm, officers located methamphetamine in Cooper's pocket.

At the time of his arrest, Cooper previously had been convicted for, among other crimes, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute near a school, distribution of a schedule I or II controlled substance as an accommodation, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a previously convicted felon, Cooper cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

"We will not allow recidivists such as Brandale Cooper to repeatedly return to a life of guns and drugs," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "The law-abiding citizens of Richmond deserve safe neighborhoods and schools, and my office is committed to ensuring the city's streets are free of gun violence and illegal narcotics."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Jin Ah Lee prosecuted the case.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Richmond Police Department.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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. 3:25-cr-109.