Richmond man arrested after posting photo with machinegun sentenced to two years in prison

RICHMOND, Va. - A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for possession of a machinegun.

According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2023, Latoye Octavius Cooper, 21, posted a picture of himself on social media with a .40 caliber pistol partially stuffed into the waistband of his pants.

Police immediately responded to the area where the photo was taken and observed Cooper entering a vehicle. Officers followed Cooper to a local convenience store and made contact with him inside the store. The officers seized the .40 caliber pistol, which was equipped with a machine gun conversion device (MCD), which rendered the pistol fully automatic. The pistol was loaded, with a large capacity ammunition magazine and had one bullet in the chamber, ready to fire.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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. 3:23-cr-155.