District Man Convicted by a Federal Jury of Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and Unlawful Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

            WASHINGTON – Roy Tatum, 47, of Washington, DC, was convicted by a federal jury of unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, both felony offenses. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 22, 2024.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            According to the evidence presented to the jury, on October 27, 2021, at approximately 6:04 a.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department executed a D.C. Superior Court search warrant at 238 35th Street Northeast in Washington D.C. Officers banged loudly on the front door prior to making entry into the apartment. When there was no answer at the front door, officers forced entry. As they entered, they observed Tatum walk out of the bathroom, wearing only shorts and slippers. In that bathroom, officers found numerous packets of narcotics, including fentanyl on the floor and inside the toilet bowl and tank, which Tatum admitted at trial that he was trying to destroy to prevent recovery by police. Additional packets of Fentanyl were recovered from Tatum’s vehicle, which was parked outside the apartment. Moreover, during the search of the apartment, officers recovered from inside Tatum’s pant pocket a .45 caliber Glock magazine containing six rounds of ammunition.

            Tatum was previously released from incarceration under the D.C. Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA) after serving more than 25 years following  previous first-degree murder convictions. Less than two years after he was released, MPD was executing a warrant in an unrelated homicide case and arrested Tatum for possession of firearms, ammunition, and drugs.   

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Ariel L. Dean.