WASHINGTON - Antoine Miller, 34, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of a federal weapons offense following his arrest last year by a gun recovery team from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Interim Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Miller was found guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Feb. 2, 2017, following a bench trial before the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson, of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. In an earlier case, Miller was sentenced in 2004 to a prison term of 11 years and eight months, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his conviction of drug and weapons offenses.
Miller will be sentenced in this case on May 4, 2017. He faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. In a separate proceeding, he also faces revocation of his probation in the earlier case. The Court ordered that Miller be held without bond pending his sentencing.
According to the government=s evidence, on March 31, 2016, at approximately 9:50 pm, members of the MPD Narcotics and Special Investigation Division – Gun Recovery Unit were driving and operating a gray Ford Explorer. While the officers traveled northbound in the 4600 block of Livingston Road SE, they observed Miller walking with another person southbound on the sidewalk. The officers slowed the vehicle, greeted the two males, identified themselves as police, and asked if they had any guns on them. Miller immediately stated “no,” and turned around so that his back was facing the officers. He then lifted the back of his puffy vest jacket, deliberately not showing the officers the front of his waistband.
As Miller did this, the other male continued to walk, keeping his head down, and at this time walking faster and ahead of the defendant. Seeing these actions from both individuals, the officers exited their vehicle to talk to the two men. One officer approached Miller and again calmly asked the defendant, “Hey, man can I talk to you?”, whereupon Miller stopped walking and turned and faced the officer. Subsequently, he turned and faced the officer and stated, “I told you I have! I been telling you I have one! You can have it! Just take it! Just take it! You can have it!” Moreover, a passing pedestrian called out, “You good slim?,” at which time the defendant replied, “They got me with a gun and all that.” The firearm was identified as a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Interim Chief Newsham commended the actions of those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Veronica Jennings, who investigated and prosecuted the case.