RICHMOND, VA—Nelson Watts Broadie, Jr., 21, of Henrico County, was convicted by a federal jury yesterday of six separate offenses, including possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon, possession and distribution of crack cocaine, and possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Broadie was indicted on Aug. 4, 2015. According to evidence presented at trial, on June 27, 2015, Broadie participated in an armed robbery of a person at his home and discharged his 9 mm firearm during that robbery attempt. Evidence presented also confirmed that between July 15 and July 24, 2015, Broadie possessed the same loaded 9 mm semiautomatic pistol. On July 15, 20, and 21, 2015, Broadie sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant while under surveillance, and during the July 20, and 21, 2015 sales, Broadie sold the crack cocaine to the confidential informant while under surveillance, and while unlawfully possessing and brandishing the same firearm identified above, in order to intimidate that drug customer.

Broadie will be sentenced on March 4, 2016, and faces a mandatory minimum of 32 years in prison for the two counts of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking violation crime, plus additional consecutive terms in prison for the possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon, and three counts of possession and distribution of crack cocaine. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Douglas A. Middleton, Chief of Police for the Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

This case was investigated by officers and detectives with the Henrico County Police Division in conjunction with the FBI’s Central Virginia Violent Crime Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:15-cr-137.