A tip from January led Virginia Beach police down a trail that ended with three people facing serious gun charges—and the discovery of more illegal firearms.
Back on January 31, officers arrested 22-year-old Alexis Guzman, a convicted felon, after he was caught with a firearm. That arrest raised a bigger question: How did Guzman get a gun in the first place?
Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) detectives kept digging. And on May 16, after months of investigation, they served several search warrants and recovered two more guns, along with parts and accessories tied to illegal sales.
Their follow-up led to two more arrests. Vincent Elliott, 27, also a convicted felon, was charged with possessing a firearm and conspiring to sell a weapon with its serial number scratched off. Police say Elliott had a hand in getting Guzman armed.
And then there’s Tyler Woleslagle, 25, who now faces charges of providing a firearm to a convicted felon—what’s often called a “straw purchase.” That’s when someone legally buys a gun on behalf of someone who’s not allowed to have one. It’s illegal, and in this case, it’s landed her behind bars.
Police say the case is still open and that more arrests or charges could come. They’re asking anyone with information to call the VBPD at (757) 385-4101.
This case highlights how straw purchases are still a problem in Virginia and how they continue to put illegal guns in the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.