Maryland felon pleads guilty in D.C. to illegal possession of firearm (DOJ)

WASHINGTON - Joseph Thompson, 37, a previously convicted felon residing in Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Thompson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Mehta scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2026.

According to court papers, on March 7, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Robbery Suppression Unit were on patrol in the 4600 block of Livingston Road SE when they saw Thompson standing outside the South Capitol Liquor Store. As officers approached, Thompson abruptly ended a conversation and entered the store.

An officer addressed Thompson and noticed a heavy, rectangular object in Thompson's jacket pocket after his unzipped coat shifted open. As another officer remarked to Thompson that his pocket looked heavy, Thompson broke into a sprint. Officers chased him and during the pursuit Thompson tossed a firearm into the street.

Officers recovered a loaded .45-caliber pistol with one round in the chamber and 13 additional rounds in the magazine. The firearm was not registered in the District, and Thompson did not have a concealed carry permit.

Thompson has a previous 2017 felony conviction out of Arlington County, Virginia, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison, therefore making it unlawful for him to possess any firearm.

The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.

The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.

Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

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