Daniel Jahleel Thomas, 22, Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison For Drug Distribution and Possession of a Machinegun
Friday, March 1, 2024
Defendant Advertised Drugs and Bragged About His Weapons on Instagram
WASHINGTON – Daniel Jahleel Thomas, aka “Dandue,” 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 120 months in prison today, for conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, as well as a detectable amount of oxycodone, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In addition to the 10-year prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Thomas to serve four years of supervised release.
Thomas pleaded guilty on April 13, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to court documents, Thomas – who used the nickname “Dandue” in rap videos published on YouTube – advertised marijuana and oxycodone for sale on his social media accounts, and published pictures of himself in holding firearms, including fully automatic machine guns.
February 25, 2022, MPD officers saw Thomas’ Instagram story advertising that he had marijuana for sale at the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments in Northeast D.C., and knew that Thomas had a court-ordered stay-away from the complex as a condition of a prior gun arrest. The officers found Thomas standing outside the apartments and, as they approached him, Thomas jumped into the back seat of a parked vehicle. When officers ordered Thomas out of the vehicle to speak with him about the stay-away order, he resisted and pulled away. During the subsequent struggle, officers discovered a firearm in Thomas’ waistband. The firearm was later determined to be a Glock, Model 19, 9mm handgun loaded with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. The handgun was also fitted with a “giggle switch,” which made the handgun capable of fully automatic fire. After placing Thomas under arrest, officers recovered a duffel bag from inside the vehicle and subsequently recovered four one-pound bags of marijuana as well as 81 pills, each of which contained 30mg of oxycodone. Thomas has been detained without bond since his arrest.
At the time of his arrest, Thomas was under investigation by the FBI for his role in a variety of federal offenses related to firearms and narcotic trafficking. Coordination between the FBI and MPD led to an indictment charging Thomas and two of his co-conspirators with numerous federal offenses. Five days before his arrest, Thomas exchanged text messages with a co-conspirator about Thomas’ plan to carry out a drive-by shooting in retaliation for a perceived slight.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Scott, and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI Washington Field Office, and MPD.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson with valuable help from Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman.