⏱ 2 min read
David Oday Smith, a 39-year-old previously convicted felon, was busted by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Suppression Team on July 14, 2025, near a bus stop in the District of Columbia. When officers approached, Smith took off on foot, ditching a bag containing a loaded Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol over a fence. Cops caught up with him on a nearby porch and took him into custody. Smith had a prior conviction for second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and use of a handgun during a crime of violence in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Smith’s rap sheet made his firearm possession a federal offense. The case was investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss as part of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative.
On November 10, 2025, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by Judge Randolph D. Moss, who also ordered three years of supervised release.
The sentence is a result of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative, a law enforcement effort to crack down on gun violence in the nation’s capital. The initiative prioritizes federal firearms violations and seeks tougher penalties for offenders.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: District of Columbia
- Location: DC
- Source: DOJ Press Release