A Fresno mother has been found guilty of providing her felon son with a firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. Jawana Washington, 45, was convicted by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd after a single-day trial. Washington now faces a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for her actions, as she was found to have aided and abetted her son's possession of a firearm – despite his status as a convicted felon and documented gang member. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 15, 2025, where the ultimate decision will take into account statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The case unfolded when Washington knowingly offered her Springfield Armory XD-9 handgun to her son, Taylor Washington. The exchanges between mother and son suggested an awareness of the risks involved, cautioning Taylor not to act "crazy," to supply his own ammunition, and to avoid implicating her. However, shortly following their interaction at her apartment complex, Taylor was stopped by police. During the stop, officers found the handgun, which was registered in Jawana Washington’s name, in the vehicle’s console. Following this, she also urged associates to erase text messages that could be considered as incriminating, according to the evidence presented during the trial.
The U.S. Department of Justice announcement included further details about the investigation that led to Washington's conviction, involving an extensive collaboration among federal and local law enforcement agencies. This collaboration included efforts from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and numerous other related authorities focused on gang and firearms crimes.
Taylor Washington, who was separately convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, has already been sentenced to imprisonment. As with his mother's proceedings, his conviction came through the joint efforts of law enforcement agencies working to combat gang violence and firearm crimes. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca, according to the Department of Justice.
