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DC teen arrested with 'ghost gun' after Montgomery County burglary, police say

By
FOX 5 DC
D.C. Crime
Published June 24, 2026 9:37 PM EDT
Published June 24, 2026 9:37 PM EDT
article

File Photo.

The Brief

    • A 17-year-old D.C. resident was arrested on June 19 after allegedly trespassing and gambling with a group in a Silver Spring apartment building stairwell.
    • When police approached, the teen fled on foot after an officer reportedly discovered a loaded 9mm "ghost gun" inside his satchel.
    • Officers captured him hiding under a vehicle shortly after, and he now faces multiple adult charges, including fourth-degree burglary and firearm offenses.

WASHINGTON - A 17-year-old Washington, D.C. resident is facing adult charges after Montgomery County police arrested him following a foot chase where officers allegedly uncovered a loaded "ghost gun" in Silver Spring, Maryland.

What we know:

Devonte Carlton Jr. was taken into custody on Friday night, June 19, 2026, according to police.

He has been charged as an adult with fourth-degree burglary, obstructing and hindering and multiple firearm-related offenses. Carlton Jr. is currently being held without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.

The arrest unfolded starting around 8:57 p.m. when officers from the 3rd District Community Action Team were flagged down by a local resident near Sligo Avenue and Fenton Street, police said. The resident reported that a group had trespassed into a construction area inside an apartment building in the 800 block of Sligo Avenue and was gambling in a stairwell.

When officers arrived, they discovered the group throwing dice with cash on the floor. As police approached, Carlton Jr. reportedly tried to grab a satchel. An officer secured the bag and immediately felt a firearm inside, prompting Carlton Jr. to flee the building on foot, according to police. 

Following a brief neighborhood chase, officers reportedly located Carlton Jr. hiding underneath a vehicle in a parking lot in the 700 block of Sligo Avenue and took him into custody.

Upon inspecting the satchel, officers said they recovered a loaded 9mm privately made firearm, commonly referred to as a "ghost gun."

Dig deeper:

Ghost guns, or privately made firearms (PFMs), are untraceable weapons that are built, customized or assembled by individuals rather than commercial gunsmiths, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Because they bypass traditional manufacturing pipelines, they lack the standard serial numbers required by federal law.

The Source: Information from the Montgomery County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 

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