Teen Sentenced to 5 Years for Bringing Loaded Gun to Virginia High School By Christina Coulter

A Virginia high school student will serve 5 years in prison for bringing a loaded handgun onto school grounds earlier this year, officials said.

Anthony Orion Dalton, 17, was sentenced on October 8 to a total of 9 years in prison, with 4 years suspended, after he was found in possession of a firearm on campus in April, according to an October 9 press release from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

He will remain at the Roanoke Valley Juvenile Detention Center until he turns 18, at which point he will be transferred to an adult detention facility to complete his sentence, per the release.

Dalton shared a photo on Snapchat on April 1 showing the gun he had brought to Franklin County High School, WSET, WDBJ7, and The Roanoke Times reported.

A school resource officer was alerted to the image, and a deputy and administrator confronted Dalton, finding the loaded gun in his bag, according to the outlets.

Dalton was tried as an adult and convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm on school property, and transportation of a firearm by a person under 18, per WDBJ, WSET and WSLS.

“This sentencing reflects the severity of the offense and reinforces that weapons have no place in our schools,” Sheriff Bill Overton said in the release. “Our School Resource Deputies play a critical role in maintaining the safety of our campuses, and their quick response—along with that of our school partners—made all the difference that day.”

Officials said the case “serves as a powerful reminder of the seriousness of bringing a firearm onto school property and the life-altering consequences that can result,” per the release. The sheriff’s office urged parents to discuss gun safety with their children and reiterated its message: “See something, say something,” according to the release.