Man Sentenced to More Than 1 Year for Carrying Concealed Firearm with Trigger Activator Following Norfolk Traffic Stop
NORFOLK, Va. — Marciano Bibbins-Hamlin, 18, was sentenced on Friday to one year and seven months after pleading guilty to carrying a concealed firearm and possessing an illegal trigger activator, also known as a switch or an auto sear, last year.
On Sept. 1, Norfolk Police officers pulled over a vehicle near the intersection of Church Street and B Avenue for failing to maintain its proper lane. Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin was one of five occupants in the vehicle and was seated in the rear driver’s side passenger seat. The officers recognized some of the occupants, including Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin, from previous interactions and knew them to carry guns. When officers asked the occupants to exit the vehicle, a firearm was spotted inside. All the individuals were detained, and officers searched the vehicle.
In front of where Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin had been seated, officers recovered a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun equipped with a trigger activator, which allows multiple rounds to be fired with one pull of the trigger. When officers searched Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin, they found a matching magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition on his person. Also recovered from the vehicle was an assault rifle-style pistol with an angled foregrip. Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin confessed to owning the AR-style pistol but denied ownership of the Glock.
On Feb. 15, Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed firearm and possessing a trigger activator, and Judge Mary Jane Hall found him guilty. On Friday, Judge Hall sentenced Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin to one year and seven months in prison, with an additional two years and five months suspended on the conditions that Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin complete three years of uniform good behavior and one year of supervised probation following his release.
“Automatic firearms are weapons of war that have no place in our community,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “To protect our streets and our citizens, those people who possess automatic weapons will lose their firearms rights and should serve time.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony J. Comento prosecuted Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Kyle G. Phillips led the investigation.
###
Feb. 15, 2024
Man Convicted of Carrying Concealed Firearm with Trigger Activator Following Norfolk Traffic Stop
NORFOLK, Va. — Marciano Bibbins-Hamlin, 18, was convicted on Wednesday of carrying a concealed firearm and possessing an illegal trigger activator, also known as a switch or an auto sear, last year.
On Sept. 1, Norfolk Police officers pulled over a vehicle near the intersection of Church Street and B Avenue for failing to maintain its proper lane. Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin was one of five occupants in the vehicle and was seated in the rear driver’s side passenger seat. The officers recognized some of the occupants, including Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin, from previous interactions and knew them to carry guns. When officers asked the occupants to exit the vehicle, a firearm was spotted inside. All the individuals were detained, and officers searched the vehicle.
In front of where Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin had been seated, officers recovered a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun equipped with a trigger activator, which allows multiple rounds to be fired with one pull of the trigger. When officers searched Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin, they found a matching magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition on his person. Also recovered from the vehicle was an assault rifle-style pistol with an angled foregrip. Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin confessed to owning the AR-style pistol but denied ownership of the Glock.
On Wednesday, Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed firearm and possessing a trigger activator, and Judge Mary Jane Hall found him guilty. Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin is docketed for sentencing before on April 5.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony J. Comento is prosecuting Mr. Bibbins-Hamlin’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Kyle G. Phillips led the investigation.
###