Man convicted of possessing a firearm and ammunition

After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today convicting John Robert Williams III, age 42, of Upper Marlboro on the federal charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron, Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief of Police Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to the evidence at trial, the defendant possessed a firearm and ammunition, specifically, a Kel-Tec P-11 semi-automatic pistol loaded with one round of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition — after having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.

Specifically, on the evening of Sept. 10, 2022, members of the Prince George’s County Police Department were conducting proactive patrols in a specific area of Oxon Hill in response to recent gun and drug-related crime in this area. An officer noticed a white Chevy Trailblazer stopped next to a business in this area and saw what he believed to be an interrupted drug transaction as he drove by.

After additional officers returned to do an investigative stop, law enforcement saw what appeared to be a firearm in the back right pocket of Mr. Williams’ pants. Mr. Williams was placed into handcuffs for the officers’ safety, and law enforcement pulled from Mr. Williams’ back right pocket a Kel-Tec P-11 semi-automatic pistol loaded with one round of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition.

Trial testimony further showed that the officers also recovered from Mr. Williams the keys to the Trailblazer and approximately $2,458 in cash. A subsequent search of the Trailblazer found a number of bags of marijuana, as well as two more firearms: a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver, and a loaded Ruger Model P89 9mm pistol.

At sentencing, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. 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. U.S. District Judge Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2024 at 2:30 p.m.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau, who are prosecuting the federal case.