Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe Again Initiative
WASHINGTON – Jerone D. Robinson, 48, a resident of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. The initiative prioritizes federal firearms violations, seeks tougher penalties for offenders, and aims to detain dangerous individuals facing federal firearms charges.
Robinson is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, MPD officers were conducting proactive patrols on Benning Road NE when they observed an unattended, running vehicle. Officers noted a sole occupant, later identified as Robinson, sitting in the driver’s seat. Through the windshield, an officer spotted a firearm on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat.
Robinson was detained without incident. Officers secured the firearm, which was identified as a loaded, Glock-style semi-automatic handgun.
Officers also observed a Styrofoam cup containing a yellow liquid with the odor of alcohol in the center console. When questioned, Robinson admitted it was “a mixed drink.” He was arrested and transported to the Fifth District Station.
A background check confirmed the firearm was not legally registered, that Robinson lacked a license to carry, and that he is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.