Washington D.C. man, DeAngelo Wayne McNeil, 37, is back behind bars, sentenced to a three-year stint for crimes involving an illegal firearm and crack cocaine dealing near a school. Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg slapped McNeil with a 36-month prison term, followed by six years under the watchful eye of supervised release, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

During his plea on January 24,  McNeil admitted guilt to unlawful gun possession by a convicted felon and dealing crack cocaine in proximity to schools, according to the same source. The conviction stems from a September 21, 2023 arrest when McNeil, already on release for similar offenses, was nabbed by police with cash, drugs, and a loaded Glock, just a stone's throw away from Phelps High School.

The arrest that culminated in today's sentencing occurred near 1919 I Street, Northeast, dangerously close to the educational institution. In an incriminating discovery, officers found nearly 20 grams of a substance later confirmed as crack cocaine, $545.25 in crisp bills, and a digital scale on McNeil – staples of the trade.

McNeil's vehicle coughed up more evidence – another lump sum of $4960 alongside the semi-automatic that's now landed him in hot water. The car, parked not far from where McNeil was detained, contained the firearm—a Glock model 30 .45 caliber pistol—loaded with a bullet chambered and a nearly full magazine.

This repeat offender's latest run-in with law enforcement and the subsequent sentencing underscores an ongoing struggle with gun violence and drug trafficking in our nation's capital. McNeil’s history of similar convictions paints a portrait of a man unable to break from the vicious cycle of crime, despite multiple encounters with the justice system. For now, he faces the consequences of his actions, as the community around Phelps High School breathes a brief sigh of relief.