An Orange County man will serve multiple years in prison after an Orange Elementary School student unknowingly brought a gun to school in her backpack.
Drakar Lee Rawlings, 31, entered a plea agreement Friday morning in Orange County Circuit Court. Rawlings was charged with three felonies and one misdemeanor after a 6-year-old unknowingly took a firearm to school in her backpack last fall.
According to a summary of evidence presented by Orange County Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Crystal Hasting, text messages revealed the firearm had been placed in the 6-year-old’s backpack by Rawlings after a car accident. Hasting said evidence revealed Rawlings, a felon, was scared the gun would be found and placed it in the bag after wiping it down with the child’s shirt. The firearm was forgotten about and taken to school in the backpack before being found by a teacher and secured. Hasting said prior to being found, the .22 caliber Winchester revolver was easily accessible by more than 500 students at the school. She also noted that Rawlings has a history of violent offenses and had just been released from prison two months prior to the elementary school incident.
Records show Rawlings pleaded guilty to five felony charges, including malicious wounding and robbery, as the result of a shooting outside of a Harrisonburg pizza shop in 2016. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and remains on probation. He had one prior felony and several misdemeanor convictions at that time.
As part of Friday’s six-page plea agreement, Rawlings pleaded guilty to three charges–possessing or transporting a firearm by a violent felon; abuse and neglect of a child and disregard for the life of a child; and misdemeanor leaving a firearm unsecured so as to endanger the life of a child younger than 14. A second possession of a firearm charge was nol prossed; the charge carries a minimum mandatory sentence of five years incarceration.
Defense attorney Joseph Sanzone said his client had been in prison a long time and had become institutionalized without a normal ability to adapt, noting Rawlings would have to take charge and be aware of his surroundings when he is released, but has the support of family and friends to do so.
Rawlings apologized to the court and his family for his actions. He said what he did wasn’t intentional and he didn’t mean to hurt, or potentially hurt, anyone.
Judge David B. Franzen said sometimes people make poor judgement errors that could result in unspeakable death and fortunately the gun was discovered by a teacher. He encouraged Rawlings to avail himself to any opportunities for rehabilitation, saying he has the capacity to do good.
As per the agreement, Rawlings was sentenced to the mandatory minimum of five years in prison for the possession charge and five years with three suspended on the abuse charge for a total of seven years incarceration. He received an additional 12 months in jail for the misdemeanor and will serve the misdemeanor time first. Upon his release, he must be of good behavior for five years and will be on supervised probation for two years. He is not to consume any alcohol, marijuana, THC or illegal substances and will be randomly screened. The revolver will be destroyed.
