District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms and Narcotics Charges

            WASHINGTON – Deangelo Jenkins, 33, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to federal firearms and narcotics offenses stemming from an investigation in which law enforcement recovered two loaded handguns and cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Jenkins pled guilty on Dec. 4, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and one count of possession of cocaine basis. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Jenkins faces a likely range of 70 to 87 months in prison. The Honorable Timothy J. Kelly scheduled sentencing for Feb. 21, 2019. The Court ordered that Jenkins be held without bond pending her sentencing. 

            According to the government=s evidence, on Oct. 24, 2017, MPD officers observed Jenkins driving a white Infiniti that had been identified in connection with a homicide investigation. Officers made contact with Jenkins and advised him that the vehicle was being seized in reference to the pending homicide investigation. Jenkins was then asked to exit the vehicle. Jenkins, who was talking on a cellular phone at the time, did not comply. He acted nervous and failed to exit the vehicle despite being ordered to do so by officers on several occasions. An officer then reached through the driver’s side window and attempted to unlock the driver’s side door, but Jenkins re-locked the door before the officer could open it. This happened a number of times before officers could successfully get Jenkins out of the vehicle. Once he was out of the vehicle, MPD officers were able to impound it for investigative purposes.

            Jenkins was not arrested at that time. The following day on Oct. 25, 2017, pursuant to a search warrant, MPD officers searched the vehicle. During the search, officers recovered a .45-caliber handgun from the center console of the vehicle. The firearm had one round of ammunition in the chamber and 10 rounds in the magazine.

            Following the discovery of the gun and ammunition, an arrest warrant was issued. On Nov. 9, 2017, members of the U.S. Marshals Service observed Jenkins entering an apartment building in the 2900 block of 14th Street NW. Jenkins was arrested inside an apartment. During a search of Jenkins, officers recovered a .357-caliber revolver from his waistband area. The firearm was loaded with six rounds of ammunition in the chamber.

            Jenkins was arrested and transported to a hospital after complaints of feeling ill. While at the hospital, an additional search of the defendant was conducted, and officers found a large white rock-like substance located in the right front change pocket of the defendant’s pants. The white substance was tested and determined to be cocaine base.

            At the time of his arrest in this case, Jenkins was barred from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, Md. for armed robbery, firearms and other offenses.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. They also commended the efforts of those who worked in the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who prosecuted the case.