Demontra Harris, a 31-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 24 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Harris pleaded guilty on April 15, 2024. The firearm was recovered after a car crash in which Harris left the vehicle.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office release, on March 1, 2024, police responding to an unrelated matter saw a black Toyota RAV-4 run a red light and crash on the 1800 block of Alabama Avenue SE. Officers found a Glock 22 .40-caliber pistol on the driver’s seat and an almost empty bottle of tequila inside the vehicle. Harris was identified as the suspected driver through his ID and a shoe left in the RAV-4. Police located a man nearby wearing one matching shoe, later confirmed to be Harris.
U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta also ordered Harris to serve three years of supervised release. Harris, who has prior felony convictions, is prohibited from possessing firearms. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, with support from Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Schneider and Rachel Craft. The Metropolitan Police Department conducted the investigation.
