A Hampton jury returned guilty verdicts this month against a man who attempted to make a U-turn at Langley Air Force and could not show identification to enter the base.
Thaison Thanh Nguyen is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon, carrying a concealed weapon and operating a vehicle without a license.
On Nov. 13, 2019, Nguyen tried to make a U-turn at Langley Air Force Base, which caused Langley security to request his identification when he entered the base. Nguyen told the military police officer that he did not have a military ID or a driver’s license and handed the officer his Virginia identification card. During the encounter, a military police officer detected the smell of marijuana, and Nguyen showed the officer that he had marijuana in the car.
Langley military police contacted the Hampton Police Department for further investigation. Upon arrival, officers searched Nguyen’s car and discovered a firearm hidden beneath the driver’s seat. Nguyen fled the scene when a police officer found the firearm but was apprehended approximately 50 yards from his vehicle. When officers checked his felony status, Nguyen was arrested for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony.
Nguyen’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2024. The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon carries a five-year mandatory minimum.