Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearm, Ammunition (DOJ)

Greenbelt, Maryland - Today, U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Jeffrey Boston, 43, of Washington D.C., to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - Baltimore Field Division, and Chief David Morris, Cheverly Police Department.

According to the plea agreement, on May 22, 2024, a Cheverly police officer responded to a 911 welfare-check call at a Cheverly, Maryland, intersection. Upon arrival to the scene, the officer approached Boston who was laying on his back on the grass near a bench. The officer tapped on Boston's chest a few times, then took Boston's arm and shook it, before asking him if he could hear him. Boston responded by lightly groaning, so the officer called in an ambulance to police dispatch.

Then the officer asked Boston if his chest hurt and again Boston grumbled in the affirmative. The officer then reached down and began repositioning Boston on his side to help him with his breathing. As the officer moved Boston, he discovered a black firearm partially visible in Boston's waistband on his right hip. The officer removed the handgun and eight rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the firearm had a chambered round. Boston, who has at least one prior felony conviction, is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and Cheverly Police Department for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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