GREENBELT, MD – Curtis Portland Litten, 54, of Huntingtown, Maryland, is headed to federal prison after receiving a 21-month sentence today for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow also tacked on three years of supervised release following Litten’s incarceration. The sentence comes nearly seven years after Litten’s arrest on April 22, 2016, and a guilty plea entered September 1, 2016.
The case, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Capitol Police, revealed a disturbing pattern of threats directed at the highest levels of American government. Between January 28 and March 24, 2016, Litten penned at least nine threatening letters and cards to the President of the United States and members of Congress, explicitly threatening harm to them and their families.
Fingerprint evidence linked Litten directly to the menacing correspondence. A subsequent search of his Huntingtown residence uncovered a stockpile of materials further demonstrating his intent. Investigators seized unsent greeting cards addressed to elected officials, computer printouts detailing their addresses, and reminders to continue his letter-writing campaign. But the threats weren’t the only illegal items found.
Law enforcement also recovered a cache of firearms: a .22 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber pistol, a .380 caliber pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .410 bore shotgun, and a .38 caliber blank firing revolver. Alongside the weapons, authorities seized 300 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, 24 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, four rounds of .410 caliber shotgun ammunition, and a single 12-gauge shotgun shell. Crucially, Litten’s prior felony conviction barred him from legally possessing any of these items.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein (now a private citizen) lauded the collaborative effort of the ATF and U.S. Capitol Police in bringing Litten to justice. He specifically acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Thomas P. Windom, who successfully prosecuted the case. The investigation highlights the ongoing threat posed by individuals who attempt to intimidate public officials and illegally arm themselves.
Litten’s sentence sends a clear message: threatening elected officials and violating federal firearms laws will not be tolerated. While the initial threats date back years, the delayed prosecution and sentencing underscore the thoroughness of the investigation and the gravity of the offenses. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on similar threats to public safety.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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