A District felon with two prior convictions was found guilty of unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm, as announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, alongside MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith.
According to U.S. Attorney's Office release, 34-year-old Ezra Griffith faced a federal jury, which found him guilty of possessing a firearm with .40 caliber ammunition, a serious charge given his criminal history. On November 15, 2023, evidence showed that members of the MPD's Crime Suppression Team entered the Rosedale Recreation Center parking lot after dark and observed a group of people inside the fenced playground after hours, despite the park being open only from dawn to dusk.
The U.S. Attorney's Office press release details that as law enforcement approached, Griffith sat on a concrete partition and appeared to adjust something near his waistband. Shortly thereafter, he attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended by officers within the playground's confines. Griffith's attempted escape led to the discovery of a loaded Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun along the path he sprinted.
This incident adds to Griffith's history of criminal charges, including prior convictions for carrying a pistol without a license and attempted robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta has scheduled Griffith's sentencing for January 16, 2025. U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the MPD investigators and thanked the staff of the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, for their diligent work on the case.
