WASHINGTON D.C. – James Fitzgerald Honesty, 35, has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison following a May 2022 incident that led to a police chase and the discovery of a semi-automatic handgun and significant quantities of narcotics. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith announced the sentencing today, emphasizing the gravity of the offenses which included possession of PCP and synthetic stimulants known as “boot.”
On September 2, 2023, Honesty pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, as well as possession with intent to distribute Phencyclidine (PCP). Judge Trevor N. McFadden also mandated a five-year term of supervised release post-incarceration.
This marks Honesty’s fifth conviction related to firearm offenses and his third for drug distribution. The charges stem from an event where Honesty fled from law enforcement, discarding a loaded firearm and drugs on a sidewalk in a residential area, alarmingly close to an elementary school. The arrest followed reports to the police about Honesty brandishing a gun during an altercation, as informed by two separate 911 calls. The subsequent police response and Honesty’s attempt to evade capture highlighted the immediate danger posed to the community.