Rayvon Applewhite Sentenced for Firearm Possession

Rayvon Applewhite, a 33-year-old resident of the District of Columbia, has been sentenced to 26 months in federal prison for possessing a stolen, loaded firearm while on supervised release for previous offenses. The U. S.

Attorney's Office announced the sentencing, which took place in U. S. District Court.

Applewhite pleaded guilty on June 4 to the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon before Judge Amir H. Ali. In addition to the prison term, Judge Ali ordered Applewhite to serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration. Federal prosecutors had initially sought a 70-month prison sentence.

The incident leading to Applewhite's arrest occurred on July 14, 2025, when officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's 5th District Crime Suppression Team were patrolling a residential neighborhood near Rhode Island Avenue NE. This area had recently experienced a surge in violent crime. Officers observed Applewhite adjusting the front of his waistband, which raised suspicions that he might be concealing a weapon.

When officers attempted to engage with Applewhite, he tried to distance himself and resisted arrest. A subsequent protective pat-down revealed a stolen 9 mm Taurus pistol tucked in his waistband, directly behind his belt buckle. The firearm was fully loaded, with one round in the chamber and 12 additional rounds in the magazine. It had been reported stolen from East Point, Georgia.

Applewhite was prohibited from possessing any firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions, including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a loaded handgun, and second-degree cruelty to children. At the time of this offense, he was on supervised release for three separate matters and had a criminal record that included violent crimes, drug offenses, and repeated illegal firearm possession. This case marked his fourth firearm-related offense.

The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S.

Attorney Michael Lee of the Federal Major Crimes Section under the President’s Make D. C. Safe and Beautiful Again initiative.

This initiative focuses on reducing violent crime by prioritizing the federal prosecution of armed repeat offenders and removing illegal firearms from neighborhoods in the District.