The Virginia Beach Police Department has arrested two men—one from Chesapeake, the other from Norfolk—in connection with a straw purchase of a firearm, a type of illegal transaction where someone buys a gun on behalf of someone who can’t legally own one.
Police say Darien Smith, 26, of Norfolk, who has a felony conviction, asked Raeqwon Williams, 27, of Chesapeake, to buy a gun for him. Smith was already barred from owning firearms.
Smith was arrested back on February 17, 2025, and faces a long list of charges, including being a felon in possession of a gun, soliciting someone else to buy a gun for him, and drug trafficking charges—both narcotics and marijuana. He also faces charges for having a gun while dealing drugs and for hiding a firearm illegally.
Williams was arrested later, on April 28. He’s now charged with making the straw purchase, lying on official forms used to buy a gun, and failing to conduct a required background check.
Police believe this wasn’t a one-time event. They’re investigating whether Williams bought guns for others too.
“Keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are not legally allowed to possess them is one of the biggest factors in continuing to reduce violence in our community,” said VBPD Chief Paul Neudigate. “VBPD will continue to aggressively investigate straw purchases of firearms. I’d like to thank our detectives for their hard work, as well as the Chesapeake Police Department for their assistance.”
This arrest is part of a broader push by law enforcement to crack down on illegal gun trafficking—especially when it’s tied to drugs and repeat offenders.