Yesterday's court session culminated in the conviction of a Maryland man on charges of unlawful firearm possession. Anthony Eugene Burns, 31, who already had a felony record, was found guilty by a federal jury, as reported by the Department of Justice. The case is rooted in an incident dating back to February 2024, where Burns allegedly sprinted away from police and discarded a firearm as he fled.
U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb has set the sentencing for November 24, 2025. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department, on the night of the arrest, had responded to a call about disruptive activity in Southeast. They spotted Burns making a hasty exit from the scene, and, following a brief chase, found him concealed on the 1200 block of Sumner Road Southeast, according to the DOJ.
Further investigation by the officers led to the recovery of a loaded Glock 27 with an extended magazine. This was merely the latest in Burns' string of encounters with the law. His history includes a guilty plea for involvement in an armed robbery spree and a sentence of 84 months in prison back in 2017. At the time of the latest offense, Burns was reportedly still under probation.
The intensive investigation by both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive,s Washington Field Division, culminated in this recent conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole and Special Assistant United States Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti lead the charge, with a team that included former Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Craft and Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Robinson, among others.
Jeanine Ferris Pirro, the U.S. Attorney, stated, "The conviction of Anthony Burns demonstrates our unyielding commitment to remove illegal firearms from the streets and hold accountable those who seek to defy the law." This conviction sends a message to the felons who might believe they can operate outside the boundaries of the law, ensnaring themselves eventually in the justice system's net. The court's final judgment will be delivered later this year, as Burns awaits his sentence.
