A Maryland man, Anthony McNair, was sentenced on Mar. 30 to 140 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.
The sentence highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to address violent crime and illegal possession of firearms, especially among individuals with prior felony convictions. The case also draws attention to the dangers posed by fentanyl-laced drugs in local communities.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, McNair was stopped by Prince George’s County Police Department officers in Suitland, Maryland on April 21, 2022, after committing multiple traffic violations. Officers observed what they described as a “slow roll” before McNair stopped his vehicle—a tactic sometimes used to hide contraband before police approach. Upon approaching the vehicle, officers detected the odor of marijuana and found that McNair provided a driver’s license belonging to someone else.
After handing over three bags of marijuana totaling 19.5 grams, McNair attempted to flee but was detained by officers. A search revealed a firearm loaded with nine rounds of .45 caliber ammunition inside his vehicle along with approximately 43.4 grams of white powdery substance believed to contain fentanyl, 26 blue pills, drug paraphernalia including a digital scale and sandwich baggies. As this marks McNair’s sixth felony conviction, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby ordered that this sentence be served consecutively with an earlier sentence handed down last year in the District of Columbia where McNair received a term of more than seventeen years for multiple counts of robbery.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland said: “This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.” Hayes commended both federal agents from ATF and local police for their work on this investigation.
