WASHINGTON – Omar James, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for the shooting of a victim in a community market, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. James pleaded guilty to one count each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm (prior conviction) on June 17, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On the charge of aggravated assault, Judge Robert Salerno sentenced defendant James to 60 months of incarceration, execution of sentence suspended as to all but 30 months of incarceration. For the possession of a firearm (prior conviction) charge, Judge Salerno sentenced James to 28 months of incarceration. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Robert Salerno ordered James to serve three years of supervised probation. Judge Salerno additionally denied the defense’s request for the sentence to be imposed under the Youth Rehabilitation Act. According to the government’s evidence, on March 12, 2026, MPD officers responded to 1918 Benning Road Northeast, to reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found one individual lying on the sidewalk across from 704 19th Street Northeast, suffering a single gunshot wound to his groin. He was accompanied by defendant James, who suffered a gunshot wound to his right elbow and a disfigurement to his index finger. According to the government’s evidence, on March 14, 2026, James returned to Benning Market and got into an argument with the victim, one of the bystanders from the prior incident, located at 2001 Benning Road, Northeast. The victim, who was standing outside of the store, followed James into the market and repeatedly told James that he had nothing to do with the shooting that had occurred days before in the Benning Road area. Surveillance video captured the men entering the store. An unidentified suspect was then seen handing James a handgun and shortly after James shot the victim in the right foot without provocation from the victim. The suspect and defendant James fled from the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. James was arrested on March 25, 2026, and has been in custody since that date. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Heimburger. 2026 CF3 004475