A federal jury has found Lester Massey, Jr., 42, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, guilty of illegally possessing ammunition. The verdict followed a two-day trial in Greenbelt.
The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief George Nader of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
Evidence presented during the trial showed that on August 11, 2023, ATF agents and PGPD officers executed a court-ordered search warrant at Massey’s residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered 243 live rounds of ammunition from various locations within the apartment. They also found gun parts such as an AR style receiver, a slide, spring, barrel, two magazines, and gun tools.
Authorities determined that the ammunition had crossed state lines before being found in Massey's possession. Massey had previously been convicted of a state crime punishable by more than two years in prison and knew he was not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition due to this conviction. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, October 1 at 2 p.m.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence nationwide. In May 2021, the Department introduced a strategy aimed at strengthening PSN through community trust-building measures and focused enforcement priorities.
"U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Appleby-Rumon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who prosecuted the case."
More information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
