GIORGIO McKINNEY, 26, previously of Seattle, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. McKINNEY, who has ties to the Low Profile (LP) set of the Black Gangster Disciples street gang, was sentenced for a February 2009 incident where he led police on a high speed chase over the Alaskan Way Viaduct. While running from police McKINNEY threw a stolen firearm from the car. Police also found 183 tablets of ecstasy (MDMA) in the car. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said McKINNEY “has a habit of running from police, putting strangers – completely innocent people – in danger.”

According to records filed in the case, Kind County Sheriff’s deputies saw McKINNEY’s car driving erratically and attempted to stop the car. McKINNEY raced away from police, exceeding 80 MPH on the viaduct. At one point McKINNEY threw a bag out of the car -- inside police found a stolen Glock semi-automatic handgun. In order to stop McKINNEY, police executed a special move, ramming the car. McKINNEY then ran from the car leaving behind his girlfriend and the bag of MDMA. McKINNEY was arrested in August 2010, after being located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

McKINNEY has a criminal history dating back to age 13, including multiple adult felony convictions that precluded him from possessing a firearm.

McKINNEY was prosecuted as part of the federal focus on street gangs lead by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Violent Gang Task Force. Members of the King County Sheriff’s Office serve on the task force and materially assisted with this case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi.

 

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