Ricky Howard, Convicted Robber Indicted on Gun Charge

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe Again Initiative - A PUBLICITY STUNT

WASHINGTON — Ricky Howard, 32, of the District of Columbia, was indicted yesterday in U.S. District Court, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging 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.

Howard, who was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in 2013, was arrested on June 10, 2024, after a 911 call requested police assistance in a domestic dispute in Northeast Washington D.C. When Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived, they observed Howard carrying a rifle in his hands. Howard, however, entered his residence with the rifle before the officers could investigate. When he exited the residence a few minutes later, Howard walked to a black Jeep that was registered to his wife, opened the passenger side door, and walked toward the front passenger’s side of the Jeep. Officers investigated the area and discovered a black firearm underneath the Jeep near the front passenger’s side tire. Howard’s DNA was found on the firearm. As a person who had been convicted of a criminal charge carrying a sentence of at least a year, Howard was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Further investigation revealed that Howard had been convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Circuit Court for Prince George’s Court, as well as threatening or intimidating a witness. Both charges carry a potential sentence of at least a year of incarceration.

This case is being investigated by the MPD and the ATF Washington Field Division.

The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.