Dewayne Keith Miles, a 29-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., is facing a federal firearm charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. announced the indictment, supported by Anthony Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The initiative is a public safety effort aiming to reduce violent crime and tackle gun violence in the District of Columbia. It focuses on federal firearms violations and seeks harsher penalties for offenders, along with advocating for the detention of individuals charged with federal firearms offenses.
Miles, who has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, allegedly discharged a firearm on March 15, 2025, in front of a residence on Benning Road, SE, after MPD officers heard gunshots while investigating a nearby robbery. As the officers approached, Miles reportedly fled into the residence, leading police to recover thirteen 9mm cartridge casings and a Smith & Wesson SD9 handgun, which had been reported stolen from the Richmond City Police Department.
Further investigation showed the firearm was functional, unregistered, and had been transported across state lines since there are no firearms or ammunition distributors within the District. The officers discovered a live 9mm round on Miles, which matched the ammunition recovered at the scene and his previous felony conviction prohibits him from firearm possession. He was subsequently taken to the Sixth District for processing.
The ATF and MPD continue to investigate, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar prosecuting the case. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
