New Church man pleads guilty to multiple crimes

By Linda Cicoira

A New Church man pleaded guilty Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court to four felony and two misdemeanor crimes that occurred in September 2025 and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years of active prison time.

Forty-six-year-old Shawn Alexander Drummond, of Davis Court, admitted he possessed crack cocaine. He also had a gun while possessing the drug, was a felon when he possessed the firearm, and failed to register as a sex offender. Additionally, Drummond pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon and driving without a license, which are misdemeanors.

He will be on supervised probation for five years and good behavior for 20 years. The defendant will also be required to wear an ankle monitor for five years after release because he had failed to register as a sex offender previously. Drummond could have been given the maximum term of 32 years and $15,000 in fines and court costs.

According to Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney William Fox, two officers stopped Drummond after he was seen swerving on Chincoteague Road in the Wattsville area. Police said he was driving 68 mph in a 55-mph zone. One officer saw Drummond reaching under the seat. The drugs and the gun were later found in the car Drummond was driving.

In a plea agreement, another charge of failing to register as a sex offender was not prosecuted. He was given two five-year suspended terms for possession of cocaine and for having a gun with the drug. He was sentenced to five years with half the term suspended for possession of a firearm by a felon. He was previously convicted of aggravated sexual battery. He was given a suspended 10-year term for failing to register his offender status.

Drummond will be on supervised probation for five years and good behavior for 20 years. He will also be required to wear an ankle monitor for five years after release. A plea agreement also dropped another count of failure to register as a sex offender.