A member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street gang, known on the streets as "Smaut," has pled guilty to firearms charges linked to a drug trafficking operation. Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, 22, entered a guilty plea in relation to firing a weapon during a "rolling shootout" in Southeast Washington, D.C., a chaotic event that unfolded while the accused and an accomplice were attempting to distribute marijuana, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The shootout occurred on June 5, 2023, with Armstead and another PDS gang member pursuing a rival gang member through residential streets gunfire was exchanged between the moving vehicles, and it eventually rendered their grey Nissan Altima inoperable, according to details released by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Following the vehicle's disablement, Armstead and his associate ditched bags of marijuana and their firearms as they attempted to escape on foot, only to be caught by the Metropolitan Police Department.
After apprehending the suspects, law enforcement officers located two firearms, a Glock, and an American Tactical semi-automatic AR-Pistol; these were found in a trash can along their escape route and were tied to the shell casings from the scene. In his plea, Armstead admitted to using the AR-Pistol during the shootout. The case against Armstead is just a part of a bigger picture, with the investigations seeing 24 convictions and the confiscation of a formidable arsenal including guns, ammunition, narcotics, and cash.
With Armstead now awaiting sentencing on May 7, the probe into the PDS gang's activities continues to be powered by the collaboration of FBI's Washington Field Office, the ATF's Washington Field Division, and the MPD coming together to root out such threats to public safety and curb violence associated with drug trafficking in the capital.
