ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Woodbridge man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm after Fairfax County police arrested him outside a Herndon apartment earlier this year.
According to court records, Fairfax County Police responded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute at an apartment in Herndon on Feb. 18, 2026. When officers arrived, they encountered 27-year-old Khari Wheeler, who acknowledged that he had been knocking on the apartment door.
Police attempted to conduct a pat-down, but Wheeler tried to run, according to prosecutors. During the brief pursuit, a loaded handgun he had been carrying fell to the ground on an exterior staircase. Officers quickly apprehended him without further incident.
Federal prosecutors said Wheeler was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of a prior felony conviction.
Wheeler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The final sentence will be determined by a federal judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors required under federal law.