Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession

WASHINGTON - Michael Ralph Collins, 33, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 71 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded Ruger .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol that he stashed inside an open washing machine as he was pursued by police, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

"As a convicted felon, Collins wasted no time after his release from custody; he armed himself with a loaded firearm and then tried to hide the weapon in a washing machine while fleeing from police," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "His record shows a persistent pattern of using firearms to threaten and harm others. This sentence removes him from our streets, and our communities are safer as a result."

Collins pleaded guilty on May 7, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 71-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Collins to serve three years of supervised release.

Collins has an extensive prior criminal record, including a 2011 conviction for attempted burglary and two 2013 convictions for armed robbery. Less than two weeks before this offense, Collins had been released from custody following a 2025 conviction for armed theft of a motor vehicle.

The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division.

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss.

Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 

Retracing Collins' path, officers found a loaded Ruger .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun hidden inside an open washing machine in a laundry room along his flight route.

Still photo from a video that Collins posted to the victim's TikTok account.

26cr89

Follow us on XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., InstagramLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., and YouTubeLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc