Arrested After Ramming Law Enforcement Vehicles Following
High Speed Chase with Police
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Othaniel D. Gaither, 25, of Washington,
D.C., was sentenced today to 78 months in prison followed by three years of
supervised release, for acquiring an assault rifle and semi-automatic pistol,
attempting to evade police during a high speed chase and ramming two law enforcement
vehicles.
Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Virginia, and Charles E. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the
Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms &
Explosives, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge
Anthony J. Trenga.
Gaither pleaded guilty on July 8, 2014, to being a felon in
possession of a firearm. According to
court documents, Gaither, who was previously convicted of robbery with a
dangerous weapon, utilized a female acquaintance to fraudulently acquire (straw
purchase) two firearms from a federal firearms dealer in Northern
Virginia. Gaither provided his female
companion with over $1,000 which she used to obtain both a semi-automatic AK-47
style rifle and a semi-automatic pistol on his behalf. Following the purchase, Gaither took
possession of both firearms.
Gaither, despite being a felon, independently purchased over
125 rounds of ammunition as well as a kit that converts a signal flare device
into a handgun that fires 12 gauge shotgun shells. After obtaining the three firearms and
ammunition, Gaither, who was being survielled by ATF agents, attempted to evade
arrest by traveling at a high rate of speed through a densely populated area.
He was ultimately stopped by ATF agents near the Pentagon City Mall in
Arlington, Virginia. Upon being pulled
over, Gaither first attempted to drive away, when that proved fruitless he
intentionally rammed two law enforcement vehicles, effectively totaling them
both. Following his ramming of the
vehicles, Gaither was arrested and the firearms and ammunition were
confiscated. As part of his sentence he was required to forfeit the three
firearms he illegally acquired and possessed.
This case was investigated by the Falls Church Field Office
of the ATF Washington Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Zachary
Terwilliger prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of
the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may
be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of
Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:14-cr-234.