FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 25, 2013
Contact: Heather F. Williamson
Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
20 East Market Street
Leesburg, VA 20176-2809
(703) 777-0242
VIOLENT FELON’S OBSESSION WITH FIREARMS LEADS TO PROBATION VIOLATION AND A RETURN TO PRISON
JUDGE IMPOSES 7 YEARS OF PREVIOUSLY SUSPENDED TIME
LEESBURG, Virginia – February 22, 2013. Steven D. Underwood, 54, appeared before the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, in custody, for sentencing on a probation violation only thirteen months after being released from prison. Judge Benjamin N. A. Kendrick, revoked all of Underwood’s suspended time, and recommitted him to the Virginia Department of Corrections for seven years.
On February 14, 2011, Underwood pled guilty to five charges related to a 2010 incident in Round Hill involving himself, his girlfriend, two other individuals and a police stand-off. During the course of the incident the LCSO Swat Unit and Negotiations Team were deployed and supplemented by the Virginia State Police and the Fairfax County Helicopter Unit. Underwood was found guilty of unlawful discharge of a firearm in an occupied dwelling, unlawful purchase or transportation of a firearm while subject to a protective order, assault and battery, reckless handling of a firearm, and brandishing a firearm. Underwood was sentenced to two years of active incarceration with an additional seven years of suspended time conditioned upon his good behavior, forfeiture of seventeen firearms, and compliance with supervised probation.
In April 2012, not more than three months into his supervised probation, Underwood committed new offenses in Pulaski County, Virginia. Underwood was convicted of felony possession of a firearm by a violent felon, felony possession of explosives by a felon, felony possession of explosives, and four misdemeanor charges related to unlawful hunting in Pulaski County and sentenced to six years and six months in prison and $700.00 in fines.
“This is the exact type of person that should be watched closely when it comes to the misuse of lawful firearms,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman. “Mr. Underwood’s volatile behavior and inability to adhere to Court Orders that are specifically in place for the safety of the community, present a dangerous and unpredictable situation for our citizens.”
Underwood will have an additional 8 years and six months of suspended time that could be imposed should he fail to be compliant with supervised probation upon his release. His anticipated release date will not be until at least 2023.
“A great deal of credit goes to the fine work from the Officers with Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, who were able to secure the convictions in Pulaski County and bring that information forward to our hearing,” noted Plowman.
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