WASHINGTON – Victor A. Brown, Jr., 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 210 months in prison for his unlawful possession of a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, as well as his possession of distribution-level quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base, Jessie K. Liu, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Chief Peter Newsham, Metropolitan Police Department announced.

           The sentence followed a jury trial in September in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan. Due to two prior qualifying convictions – one for a crime of violence and one for a drug trafficking offense – Judge Hogan sentenced the defendant to enhanced sentencing penalties as a Career Offender.

           According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 22, 2019, officers of MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team executed a search warrant at a rowhouse in the Petworth neighborhood.  Inside of Brown’s bedroom, officers located a 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine in his night stand.  Officers recovered fentanyl and cocaine base from on top of his bed and recovered various items used for drug distribution throughout Brown’s bedroom (including digital scales, ziplocks, a tray with residue, cutting agents, and razor blades).  Officers also recovered more than $2,800 in U.S. currency from Brown’s person.

           At the time of his arrest this spring, Brown was under supervision for a robbery charge to which he had pled guilty in Howard County, Maryland.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Fourth District Crime Suppression Team who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, as well as the fingerprint analysts from the D.C. Department of Forensic Science.  She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca, Legal Assistant Peter Gaboton, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz.  Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Laura Crane, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

           WASHINGTON – Victor A. Brown, Jr., 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury yesterday of federal firearm and narcotics charges following a law enforcement search that uncovered drugs, a weapon, and ammunition in a residence located in the Petworth Neighborhood in Northwest Washington.

           The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Brown was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on September 19, 2019. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison. He will be sentenced on December 11, 2019 by the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan.

           According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 22, 2019, officers from MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team executed a search warrant at a rowhouse in the Petworth neighborhood. At the time the officers entered the residence, Brown was flushing marijuana down a toilet in a bathroom on the first floor of the residence. Inside of Brown’s bedroom nightstand, officers located a 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine loaded with ammunition. Officers also recovered fentanyl and cocaine base from on top of Brown’s bed and recovered various items used for drug distribution throughout his bedroom (including digital scales, ziplocs, a tray with residue, cutting agents, and razor blades). Officers also recovered more than $2,800 in U.S. currency on Brown.

           “My Office’s top priority is the safety of the people who live in, work in, and visit Washington, D.C., and that means protecting them from the danger posed by illegal firearms. This case shows our commitment to doing just that. This defendant previously had been convicted of a serious crime and had no business possessing a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Liu.

           In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers involved in the arrest and prosecution of Brown.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Laura Crane of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, and Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca.