A Norfolk man with a violent criminal history is heading back to prison—this time for 13 years—after a shooting last year that left one man wounded.
Arthur Julius Cherry, 38, was sentenced yesterday after a federal jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The conviction stems from a January 2023 incident where Cherry chased a man from a local convenience store, fired into his vehicle after it stopped, and struck the man’s brother in the back. The intended target ducked just in time to avoid being shot.
Investigators found multiple shell casings at the scene. Ballistics experts later matched them to a firearm recovered from Cherry just two weeks later, thanks to ATF’s ballistic tracking system known as NIBIN.
Cherry isn’t new to the system. He’s already been convicted of multiple violent crimes, including a previous shooting, drug trafficking, and assault. Federal law prohibits him from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
Federal prosecutors said Cherry’s sentence sends a clear message.
“This case exemplifies the importance of keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted criminals,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Arthur Cherry has a history of violence and a disregard for the law.”
ATF officials emphasized that this case shows how technology and agency collaboration can help get dangerous individuals off the streets.
“This 13-year sentence reflects the seriousness of illegally possessing a firearm and attempting to take a life,” said ATF Special Agent Anthony A. Spotswood. “This outcome truly reinforces our shared commitment to maintaining public safety and preventing acts of violence.”