Portsmouth man pleads guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A 22-year-old Portsmouth man has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Court documents show that law enforcement watched Michael Drake and several others deal drugs out of a Portsmouth home.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Drake and nine others conducted over 500 suspected narcotics transactions over a three week period in January and February.

Despite being a convicted felon, law enforcement observed Drake with a firearm on Feb. 23.

He was arrested and charged along with two other men, Samuel Swinney, 37, and Keith Johnson, Jr.

Swinney pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and Johnson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both are scheduled to be sentenced in December.

Drake faces sentencing on Jan. 16, 2024. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.