Dewayne Keith Miles, a 29-year-old D.C. native, has been handed a 36-month prison sentence following an incident involving gunfire in a residential neighborhood, according to a report by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Miles, who had previously been convicted of felony charges, pleaded guilty to illegal firearm possession charges on June 30 and was subjected to three years of supervised release post-incarceration.
The sentencing is part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative, amped up to tackle rising violent crime rates in the district. These efforts include placing emphasis on federal firearms violations and advocating for stricter punishments for perpetrators. On March 15, at about 3:30 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers were on the scene of a robbery when they heard gunshots, which later led them to Miles, who was apprehended after firing his weapon into the air and fleeing into a building.
At the scene on the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE, law enforcement recovered a stolen Smith & Wesson, SD9 pistol, a short distance from where they discovered 13 cartridge casings. Upon his arrest and transport to the Sixth District, it was found that Miles had a live 9mm round in his pocket, consistent with the ammunition used at the shooting site.
The Metropolitan Police Department, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division, spearheaded the investigation with Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole leading the prosecution. "This prosecution comes under the auspices of Make D.C. Safe Again, a program that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia," stated U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro in a release.
