Previously Convicted Felon Arrested for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Prince William County man with 14 prior felony convictions has been arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, law enforcement was executing a search warrant on an apartment in Triangle, when they encountered Marc Allen Williams, 33, coming out of the back bedroom near the bathroom. Upon searching the bathroom, they found drugs floating in the toilet and a handgun hidden in the toilet’s flush tank.

Williams, who was arrested on Friday and made his initial appearance in court today, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kevin Vorndran, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Barry M. Barnard, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-mj-145.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.