Press Release
Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms on Two Occasions, Including One When He Attempted to Run from the Police
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland
Law Enforcement Recovered a Handgun and Drug Paraphernalia from White’s Residence; White Later Attempted to Run from the Police While Armed with another Firearm
Greenbelt, Maryland – Anthony Dwayne White, age 29, of Suitland, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department (D.C. MPD); and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to his guilty plea, on June 20, 2014, White was convicted of attempted distribution of cocaine in the District of Columbia Superior Court and was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, with all but 6 months suspended. Upon his conviction, White became ineligible to possess a firearm.
Since his 2014 conviction, White has illegally possessed firearms on at least two separate instances.
For example, on September 24, 2020 law enforcement officers conducted a search of White’s District Heights, Maryland residence, pursuant to a lawfully issued search warrant, and recovered one .40 caliber handgun with one round of ammunition, a magazine containing fourteen rounds of ammunition, two digital scales, one glass measuring cup with heroin residue, three boxes of buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film, and other identifying information in White’s name. After White was advised of his rights, White admitted that the handgun was in his possession.
On January 30, 2021, in Washington D.C., a Metropolitan Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that failed to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. White was identified as the driver of the vehicle and was asked to step outside the vehicle. After processing White’s license and registration, the officer discovered that White had an active arrest warrant related to the September 24, 2020 offense. When the officer asked White to put his hands behind his back, White attempted to flee on foot.
In the process of capturing White, the officers and White fell to the ground. During the conflict, an officer observed a handgun in White’s jacket pocket. The handgun was identified as a .45 caliber pistol loaded with thirteen rounds of ammunition.
White faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count followed by up to three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for November 17, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the HSI, D.C. MPD, and the PGPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin B. Pulice, Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan Woods, and Brian W. Lynch, who are prosecuting the case.
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Contact
Marcia Murphy
(410) 209-4854
Updated August 12, 2021
Topic
Firearms Offenses
Component