Newport News man sentenced to 9 years for gun, obstruction charges

A Newport News man was sentenced to 9 years in prison on Friday, October 4, 2024, for a series of charges including possessing a handgun that had been converted to a fully automatic weapon, making it a machine gun under Virginia law.

Judge Matthew Hoffman sentenced Dwanne Martin, Jr., 21, to 5 years in prison for wearing a mask in public, 12 months in jail for carrying a concealed weapon, 12 months in jail for carrying an extended magazine in public, 12 months in jail for reckless handling of a firearm, and 12 months in jail for obstruction of justice. All of those were the maximum allowable sentences. Judge Hoffman also imposed a 10-year suspended sentence for possession of a machine gun for aggressive purpose.

On March 18, 2023, Martin was one of a group in ski masks that entered Patrick Henry Mall, then split up. He and one other when officers tried to stop him for wearing a mask in violation of Virginia law and mall policy. Martin fled through the mall, still masked clutching his waistband until he entered a shoe store. He ducked down in a aisle and then ran back out of the store. Officers detained him outside the store. They then investigated the store where they found a firearm on the bottom shelf of the aisle where he ducked out of sight.

The firearm had an aftermarket device allowing it to fire as a fully automatic and an extended magazine holding 25 unfired cartridges. Martin’s fingerprints were on the firearm. The mall was busy at the time of this incident and the shoe store was open for business at the time he hid the gun.

Martin is also charged with malicious wounding by mob for assaulting another person while in jail awaiting sentencing in this case. Trial has not been held in that charge.

Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney
Phone: 757-926-7443
2501 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor
Newport News, VA 23607

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The Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney prosecutes criminal cases that occur within the City of Newport News, on behalf of the citizens of the Commonwealth. The elected Commonwealth’s Attorney is Mr. Howard E. Gwynn.