Man Charged After Allegedly Pointing Firearm With Red Laser at Other Motorists on I-495 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway

Defendant Allegedly Threatened Victims with a Gun as They Drove on I-495 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Lavar William Henderson, age 44, of Richmond, Virginia, for the federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  The indictment was returned on November 16, 2022.  Henderson was arrested on related state charges on November 16, 2022, and had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt yesterday on the federal indictment.  Henderson consented to detention pending trial.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Chief Christopher Stock of the U.S. Park Police, and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to his indictment and court documents, on October 26, 2022, Henderson illegally possessed a 9mm pistol, loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition.  On that day, officers with the U.S. Park Police were alerted to be on the lookout for a black Jaguar being driven by a man wearing a red hat, who was pointing a firearm with a red laser at other motorists.  A vehicle matching that description passed a crash scene and officers at the scene followed, then conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle.  Henderson was arrested.

As detailed in court documents, a 9mm pistol, loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, was located in the vehicle.  Additional investigation revealed that the firearm was equipped with a red laser and was previously reported stolen from Henrico County, Virginia in 2014.  Officers with the United States Park Police and the Maryland State Police conducted interviews with four victims who alleged that Henderson pointed his gun at them while driving that morning, before Henderson’s arrest on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.  Court documents further allege that Henderson yelled at the victims, and either beat on, or caused damage to, the victims’ vehicles.

If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  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.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.