Deionta Person, a 27-year-old resident of Washington D.C., has been sentenced to a 28-month prison term for illegal firearm possession as a convicted felon. According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Person's sentencing occurred within the precinct of the U.S. District Court. The person had entered a guilty plea earlier this year on January 15.
The case against Person was underscored by two separate incidents in which he was found to have unlawfully carried firearms. In the first case, dating back to September 5, 2021, United States Park Police officers attempted to stop Person and three others when they fled. During the pursuit, Person discarded a .40 caliber handgun, which was later recovered by the authorities. The second incident occurred on December 1, 2023, with Metropolitan Police Department officers observing a Person in a vehicle before he again tried to flee, discarding a .45 caliber handgun modified with a machine gun conversion device.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss mandated that Person follow up with three years of supervised release. This order adds a layer of post-imprisonment oversight to Person's sentence, reflecting the gravity of his offenses.
Person's history with the law is marked by a prior robbery conviction in June 2018, in Prince George's County, Maryland, for which he received a 15-year sentence, with 12 years suspended. This earlier conviction plays into the current federal charges by emphasizing the illegal nature of Person's choice to possess weapons once again.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Song provided significant assistance.
