Lawrence A. Jordan of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge under the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. This indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., alongside Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative is led by U.S. Attorney Martin, focusing on reducing violent crime in the District of Columbia through increased resources. It aims to tackle gun violence by prioritizing federal firearms violations, applying tougher penalties for offenders, and seeking detention for violators.
Jordan faces one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. According to court documents, the incidents began on November 16, 2023, when MPD officers responded to the 700 block of 2nd Street, NE, for disorderly conduct reports. The defendant was first removed from an apartment complex for being a non-resident and later from an attached fitness center. Roughly 40 minutes afterward, police were alerted again to a lewd act at the fitness center, attributed to Jordan, though he had left by that time.
A subsequent incident occurred on November 23, 2023, involving reports of aggressive panhandling on the 1300 block of H Street, NE. Police arrested Jordan for lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. A search revealed he allegedly carried a loaded, semi-automatic pistol, despite being barred from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The ATF Washington Field Office is investigating this case, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold. It is noted that an indictment is only an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
