DC Felon Turman Gets 28 Months for Loaded Gun

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Andre Jamar Turman, 34, of the District of Columbia, is headed back to prison after being sentenced to 28 months for illegally packing heat while already facing multiple court cases. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the sentence today, a grim reminder that criminals with prior convictions continue to endanger the public.

Turman pleaded guilty on December 17, 2024, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb didn’t show much leniency, tacking on three years of supervised release to the prison term. This isn’t just about a gun; it’s about a repeat offender flaunting the law.

The bust went down on May 4, 2023, when Deputy U.S. Marshals and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were hunting for Turman, who had a mountain of outstanding warrants from D.C. Superior Court. They found him on the 2400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, near Twining Square Park. A routine pat-down revealed a loaded Haskell Model JS-45 pistol tucked into his right front pocket.

The weapon wasn’t just loaded; it was stolen and unregistered in D.C. Adding insult to injury, Turman was already on probation and pretrial release for other cases – including a firearm case in Maryland. This guy clearly wasn’t learning from past mistakes. His history includes a prior conviction for carrying a pistol without a license, landing him over a year behind bars previously.

The investigation was a coordinated effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), MPD, and the U.S. Marshals. Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the ATF’s Washington Field Division and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the MPD joined U.S. Marshal Robert Dixon in celebrating the conviction. It takes a village to get these guys off the streets, and these agencies delivered.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shezhad Akhtar and Chrisellen Rebecca Kolb prosecuted the case, ensuring Turman faced the consequences for his actions. Case number 23cr171. This sentence sends a message: D.C. will not tolerate repeat offenders jeopardizing public safety with illegal firearms. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this and other federal cases as they unfold.