Felon Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison in Firing Pistol Near Stadium Armory Metro Station (DOJ)

WASHINGTON - Christopher Forbes, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in Suitland, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 66 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Forbes pleaded guilty June 6, 2025, to being a felon in unlawul possession of a firearm. In addition to the 66-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Forbes to serve three years of supervised release.

This prosecution came as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again Initiative, which surged resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

According to court documents, on April 5, 2025, at 5:42 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to the 1800 block of A Street SE after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire near the Stadium Armory Metro Station.

On arrival, officers observed a man, later identified as Forbes, nearby on Independence Ave. SE shouting into his cellphone. Officers approached Forbes and conducted a protective pat-down.

One of the officers asked Forbes if he had anything on him. Forbes admitted that he had his "dog," meaning a firearm, on his hip. Officers recovered a Smith & Wesson SD40 .40 caliber pistol loaded with two rounds of ammunition. Shell casings found near the scene matched the firearm's caliber. Forbes was arrested on the scene.

After tracing the firearm's serial number, law enforcement determined the gun had been reported stolen in North Carolina.

A review of law enforcement databases revealed that Forbes had a prior felony robbery conviction in Prince George's County, Maryland, in 2024, and an active extraditable warrant for failure to appear related to that case. He also had a non-extraditable warrant out of Florida stemming from a prior conviction for discharging a firearm in public.

Forbes was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to his felony conviction and his prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.

In his plea agreement, Forbes admitted to firing the pistol at least four times outside the Metro Station.

This case was investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall.

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