DC Felon Sentenced to 87 Months for Trafficking Nine Guns

Brandon Smith, 34, of Washington, DC, was sentenced on April 30, 2026, in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The trafficking involved at least nine firearms sold over six months to a buyer who stated he was 'at war,' per the Justice Department release. Smith, already a convicted felon, targeted a prohibited purchaser, affecting public safety by enabling access to weapons for individuals legally barred from possessing them.

The bundle does not specify broader populations impacted, but the conduct occurred in the District of Columbia, where federal gun laws restrict felons and certain buyers from firearm ownership.

Prior to sentencing, Smith faced charges for the conspiracy, which stemmed from activities between an unspecified start date and the end of the six-month period leading to his conviction. The new state imposes an 87-month prison term, effective immediately upon sentencing on April 30, 2026, as detailed in the Justice Department release.

This shifts Smith from pretrial status to incarceration, with no parole eligibility mentioned in the bundle.

The sentence activates federal prison oversight for Smith, requiring the Bureau of Prisons to manage his 87-month term starting April 30, 2026. It also triggers any post-sentencing appeals processes under federal rules, potentially involving the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit if Smith files within 14 days.

Additionally, the case contributes to Justice Department statistics on gun trafficking prosecutions, which could influence resource allocation for similar investigations in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

This sentencing follows Smith's prior felony conviction, which prohibited him from possessing or trafficking firearms under federal law, as noted in the Justice Department release. The case aligns with ongoing federal efforts to prosecute illegal gun sales, including those to prohibited persons, building on enforcement actions documented in Justice Department records from recent years.