Man Pleads Guilty for Possessing a Firearm with Altered Serial Number

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Waldorf man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm with an altered serial number.

According to court documents, in October 2018, Albert Lyles, 29, was pulled over for speeding by Military Police at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Military Police noticed the smell of marijuana inside the vehicle and upon inspection discovered approximately one ounce of marijuana and a firearm with an altered serial number.

Lyles pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with an altered serial number and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison when sentenced on May 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Clark is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-72.