Admitted Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Charges

PROVIDENCE – An admitted member of the “East B Bop Milla Blood” street gang, previously convicted on state firearm and assault charges, today pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to federal firearm and drug charges.

Damon A. Winslow, 25, of Providence, pleaded guilty to a three-count information charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kelly D. Brady, and Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr.

According to court documents and information presented to the Court, On March 12, 2019, during a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation, members of the Rhode Island ATF Task Force and Providence Police executed a federal court-authorized search of Winslow’s residence and seized a fully loaded .45 caliber pistol, more than 150 rounds of assorted ammunition, and approximately 3.5 ounces of marijuana.

  At the time of the search, Winslow told members of law enforcement that he purchased the firearm, which was missing its serial number, for approximately $300. Winslow said he had a gun because he was a member of a gang, specifically the Bloods. He also admitted to selling marijuana.

According to court documents, Winslow was convicted in Rhode Island state court in May 2017 on a felony charge of carrying a pistol without a license. Court records indicate that Winslow was arrested again on January 10, 2018, for violating the terms of his probation when, among other things, he committed simple assault and resisted arrest after a fight involving rival gang members at the Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence. On May 1, 2018, he was convicted of simple assault and resisting arrest and sentenced to 10 months incarceration at the ACI.

Winslow is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on January 30, 2020.

Felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment and a term of supervised release of 3 years. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking is punishable by up to life imprisonment with a mandatory 5-year term of incarceration consecutive to any other sentence imposed in this matter and a term of supervised release of 5 years. Possession with intent to distribute marijuana is punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and a term of supervised release of no less than 2 years.

This Project Safe Neighborhoods case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) 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.

###