Robert Theodore Smith, 28, from Washington D.C., has been handed a two-year prison term for illegal firearm possession following his earlier conviction for a fatal accident during a video shoot. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith announced the sentence, including a subsequent three-year period of supervised release.

Smith, having completed a six-year sentence for the unintended killing of a friend in a rap video production, found himself once again entangled with the law for possessing a firearm as a felon. Officers patrolling the 5300 block of East Capitol Street SE in March noticed a bulge in Smith's bag, and despite his claim of carrying nothing, a brief chase ensued once law enforcement made their approach. Inside Smith's cross-body bag, a polymer 80 pistol with a Glock 23 slide, loaded with ammunition, including one in the chamber, was discovered after the officers apprehended him, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 

The mishap of 2018 saw Smith inadvertently shoot his friend with a gun intended as a prop. This incident led to his initial conviction for voluntary manslaughter, resulting in a 72-month prison sentence and five years of supervised release starting in February 2024. Not long after his release, Smith was found in possession of a handgun, a clear violation of the conditions expected of a convicted felon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar prosecuted this recent chapter in Smith's tangled journey with the law as part of an investigation spearheaded by the MPD and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The full details of the sentencing reflect a continued effort to enforce firearm regulations and monitor individuals with prior convictions, especially those relating to gun-related offenses. Smith pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession charge on June 7, securing his return behind bars for an additional two years.