Gun rights restored for Hare Valley man

By Linda Cicoira

Gun rights were restored by Judge Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. on Monday in Northampton Circuit Court for a Hare Valley man who was convicted of distributing cocaine in 2009, but has since turned his life around.

Civil rights were restored for 56-year-old Corey Baines by former Gov. Ralph Northam after he served six years in prison, where he learned carpentry skills. He later decided to take a CDL license course at the local community college and got a job with Perdue. He has worked for that company since 2019, driving a truck and training new hires.

Judge Lewis said, “There is no reason why he shouldn’t have his firearm rights restored. “Congratulations you are doing a great job.”

Baines said a reentry program showed him a new path. “If you change people, places, and things, you can do anything,” he said. “I’m going to go out to buy a gun tomorrow, or in a week or a year,” Baines said, adding, “I have no intention at this time.” But, he added, he would like to go hunting and protect his home.

Two sheriff’s department employees, Deputy Glen Bailey and Pastor Kelvin Jones, vouched for Baines.

“I think he is doing exceptionally well,” said Jones. “Every individual who proves himself deserves a second chance,” the pastor added.

In another case, 25-year-old Luis Gustavo Morales-Aguilar, of Accomac, pleaded

guilty through a Spanish interpreter to a third offense of DWI in five years in February of 2025, and failure to appear for a hearing in a felony case. He was not prosecuted for a hit-and-run charge.

Morales-Aguilar drove an SUV in front of a tractor-trailer truck, left the accident scene, parked his vehicle at a nearby convenience store, and left it there. He was later apprehended and admitted that he was drinking and driving.

He was sentenced to five years in prison with all but the mandatory minimum of six months suspended. The defendant was given a suspended one-year term for failure to appear. After release, he will be on supervised probation for two years and on good behavior for five years. His driving privileges were revoked.

The maximum term for his offenses was 10 years in prison and $5,000 in fines and court costs.

Twenty-seven-year-old Daiqwain Walker, of Cabarrus Drive in Franktown, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of a vehicle that occurred in June of 2025 and to a pretrial violation. He was initially charged with a felony. He apologized to the owner and was sentenced to time served. Walker had been in jail since mid-December.

Twenty-four-year-old Kwelli Spady, of Virginia Beach pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm last June by someone who was convicted as a juvenile of abduction, which would have been considered a violent felony if he had been an adult. He was allowed an unspecified bond until sentencing. The maximum term for the offense is five years and a $2,500 fine. A presentence report and guidelines were ordered.