Roger Anthony Williams Sentenced in Gun Case

Roger Anthony Williams, a 38-year-old man from Washington, D.C., is headed to federal prison for 84 months after being sentenced on two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. The sentencing, handed down in Martinsburg, West Virginia, marks the end of a federal case tied to weapons violations spanning multiple jurisdictions.

Williams pleaded guilty in January 2019 to possessing a 9mm pistol in Berkeley County, West Virginia, in October 2017. He also admitted to possessing a .45 caliber pistol and matching ammunition in September 2018 within the District of Columbia. These acts were especially significant given Williams’ prior conviction for second-degree murder in Prince George’s County, Maryland — a felony that legally barred him from owning or possessing any firearms.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Federal authorities moved swiftly, treating Williams as a repeat violent offender whose access to weapons posed a direct threat to public safety.

This prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to dismantle violent crime networks and keep guns out of the hands of felons. PSN uses data-driven strategies and federal enforcement muscle to target the most dangerous offenders, particularly those with histories of violence.

U.S. Attorney Bill Powell emphasized the broader goal: “Putting illegal guns back in the hands of convicted murderers is a recipe for more bloodshed. This sentence sends a clear message — we’re watching, and we’re coming for those who think they can operate with impunity.”

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the sentencing, imposing the 84-month term as a necessary deterrent. With no room for leniency given Williams’ criminal past, the court’s decision underscores the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal firearms possession by violent felons.