NEWPORT NEWS,Va. - Ex-Newport News Police officer Stefhone McCombs pleads no contest and faces sentencing after reporting that his 2-year-old son accidentally shot and killed himself.
Officer McCombs was charged on February 8 with allowing access to firearms by a child, a misdemeanor.
He pleaded no contest to the offense due to recklessly leaving a loaded unsecured firearm out in arms reach.
There is currently no agreement on McComb's sentence- and his lawyer is asking that the judge withhold a guilty finding, place him on conditions, and dismiss the charge if he complied.
The court declined to withhold a finding and convicted and sentenced him to 12 months in jail, all suspended, with a condition that he be on local probation supervision and do public speaking on gun safety.
"McComb's wasn’t treated any better or any worse because he was an officer. We played it fair and played it straight," said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi.
He is no longer employed by the department.
