Hanover, Maryland Man Who Used a Ghost Gun to Shoot at United States Secret Service Security Guards is Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

Greenbelt, Maryland – On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, U.S. District Choose Paula Xinis sentenced Jeremiah Peter Watson, age 24, of Hanover, Maryland, to 10 years in federal jail, adopted by 5 years of supervised launch, for assault on a federal officer with a lethal or harmful weapon and utilizing, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a violent crime.

The sentence was introduced by United States Lawyer for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Particular Agent in Cost Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Subject Division; and Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith of the U.S. Park Police.

In response to his responsible plea, on February 25, 2021, Watson drove to the doorway of a United States Secret Service facility, positioning his car in a way that blocked the driveway and prevented different drivers from passing by the doorway of the power.  When a safety officer (Sufferer 1) approached Watson to ask him to maneuver his car, Watson turned verbally combative and didn’t transfer his car.

A second safety officer (Sufferer 2) approached Watson and requested him to maneuver his car and knowledgeable him that if he didn’t transfer his car, a United States Secret Service agent would arrest him. Watson continued to be combative in direction of the safety.  Throughout the confrontation, Watson approached Sufferer 1 aggressively and lunged at Sufferer 2, placing his face inside inches of Sufferer 2’s face.

When Watson lunged at Sufferer 2 and reached into his pocket, Sufferer 2 was startled and believed that Watson was armed.  In response, Sufferer 2 started to drag out his firearm and Sufferer 1 sprayed pepper spray at Watson.  Watson then retreated into his car and drove away.

Earlier than Watson drove away, the victims famous Watson’s distinctive coloured mobile phone case and license plate quantity.  As Sufferer 1, Sufferer 2, one other safety guard (Sufferer 3) and a United States Secret Service agent (Sufferer 4), started to re-enter the power constructing, the victims noticed Watson’s car return and noticed a flash of a gunshot popping out of the driver-side window in direction of them.  Watson did one other U-turn and fired at the very least 4 extra photographs earlier than he drove away.

As said in his responsible plea, United State Park Law enforcement officials responded to the scene the place legislation enforcement recovered three 9mm ammunition shell casings and positioned a bullet fragment inside a wall.  Via the overview of knowledge related to Watson’s license plate registration, legislation enforcement linked the car to Watson’s Hanover, Maryland tackle and recognized the car at Watson’s residence later that night time.

On February 26, 2021, legislation enforcement executed search warrants at Watson’s residence and recovered Watson’s mobile phone, 9mm ammunition, two empty 9mm cartridge instances, and a privately made 9mm handgun and not using a serial quantity, often known as a “ghost gun”.  Forensic examination concluded that the cartridge instances recovered from Watson’s car had been fired from the recovered ghost gun and that the bullet fragment recovered from the scene was per having been fired from the identical ghost gun. 

All 4 victims had been appearing in the middle of their duties as federal officers or staff when Watson discharged his firearm at them.

United States Lawyer Erek L. Barron counseled the ATF and the U.S. Park Police for his or her work within the investigation and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the US Secret Service for his or her help.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Lawyer Elizabeth Wright, who prosecuted the case.

For extra info on the Maryland U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, its priorities, and sources obtainable to assist the group, please go to https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #