Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Unlawful Possession of Pistol and Ammo Found in an Abandoned Crashed Car

WASHINGTON - Demontra Harris , 31, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced October 24, 2025, to 24 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a .40 caliber pistol and 17 rounds of ammunition that police discovered after he had abandoned a vehicle following a car crash, announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

On April 15, 2024, Harris pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Harris to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on March 1, 2024, at 10 p.m., officers were responding to an unrelated case when they saw a black Toyota RAV-4 run a red light. A nearby detective in another car witnessed the RAV-4 lose control and crash on the 1800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. Harris, who was the sole occupant, abandoned the disabled vehicle.

At the scene of the crash, officers immediately spotted a Glock 22, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine that had been left on the driver's seat and a nearly empty open bottle of tequila. During a search of the vehicle officers found one shoe on the driver side. Officers also found a D.C. Driver's License, a D.C. identification card, and a rental agreement that all had the name "Demontra Harris" on them.

Soon after the accident, an officer saw a man nearby wearing one shoe. The shoe matched the other half of the pair found in the crashed vehicle.

Police placed Harris under arrest and learned Harris had prior felony convictions for weapons counts. As a previously convicted felon, Harris is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Schneider and Rachel Craft.

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Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.