A federal jury has convicted a Newport News man of possessing cocaine and fentanyl along with a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, following a January 2025 encounter in which officials say he tried to run from officers while carrying a loaded handgun and a bag of drugs strapped across his chest. Larry Darnell Dove Jr. now faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced in January 2027.
Task Force Tracked Dove on Outstanding Warrants
According to court records cited by 13News Now, a Homeland Security Investigations–High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force located Dove in Newport News on January 31, 2025. He was wanted at the time on outstanding arrest warrants covering allegations of eluding, assaulting a law-enforcement officer, possession of Schedule I or II controlled substances, two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, and other violations.
Officials say that when officers approached him, Dove attempted to flee and then resisted during his apprehension. The outlet's report notes that officers recovered a loaded handgun with an extended magazine from Dove, while investigators pulled an additional loaded magazine and a box of ammunition from the vehicle he had been using.
Cross-Body Bag Held Cocaine and Fentanyl Mix
Officials say Dove was also wearing a cross-body bag that contained five bags of cocaine, cocaine mixed with fentanyl, and a digital scale at the time of his apprehension. Because Dove is a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law, a status that underpinned the weapons charge against him.
The federal jury ultimately convicted Dove on both the drug and firearm counts, finding him guilty of possessing cocaine and fentanyl as well as possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, the same account states.
Sentencing Set for January, Guidelines Still to Be Weighed
Dove is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2027, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his actual sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors, per the report.
Federal firearm-and-drug cases built on felon-in-possession charges are a recurring fixture in the Eastern District of Virginia. In a separate case this year, the U.S. Department of Justice, Eastern District of Virginia announced that a Hampton man was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
