Vankese Russell, a 26-year-old individual residing in the District of Columbia, faces a federal firearms charge following an initiative known as "Make D.C. Safe Again." This charge, announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., came from coordinated efforts among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led by Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood, and the Metropolitan Police Department under Chief Pamela Smith.
The "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative aims to mitigate violent crime in the District of Columbia by focusing on gun violence and prioritizing federal firearms violations. It proposes stricter penalties for offenders and seeks detention for these violators.
Russell received an indictment in federal court for unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Court records detail that officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's First District Crime Suppression Team arrested Russell in the Chinatown area on January 28, 2025. The arrest followed the public use of marijuana, leading to the discovery of an illegal firearm.
Per court documents, officers on patrol near 7th and H Streets NW observed smoke and detected marijuana odor behind a Metrobus stop, where Russell attempted to hide evidence of the act as officers approached. A search during the arrest revealed a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in Russell's waistband, a weapon he was barred from possessing due to a 2018 felony conviction.
The case proceeds under the investigation of the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman handling the prosecution.
The announcement reminds the public that an indictment is purely an allegation, and all defendants are regarded as innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.