PHILADELPHIA, PA — Khalif Ward, a 27-year-old Philadelphia man and rap artist known as “Leaf Ward,” has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. The sentence, imposed on January 23, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky, also includes three years of supervised release and a $25,000 fine.
Ward pleaded guilty in October to one count of possession of a machine gun and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The charges stemmed from an incident on August 16, 2023, when Ward was observed discarding a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol fitted with a device to enable fully automatic fire. This occurred at a restaurant near the King of Prussia Mall as officers investigated a stolen vehicle he had driven to the location.
Court documents revealed that Ward, despite having been twice convicted of firearms offenses, continued to illegally carry weapons. At the time of the incident, he was on release for a state case related to the straw purchase of firearms. U.S. Attorney Romero emphasized the danger posed by his actions. “Despite two prior gun convictions, Ward continued to wield these weapons. The pistol he tried to ditch when running from police was altered to enable automatic fire. This office will continue to work with the ATF and our state and local partners to get guns out of the hands of people not permitted to have them, to tamp down violent crime and make the public safer.”
The case against Ward also highlights the broader risks of illegally modified firearms, according to Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Such converted weapons are extremely dangerous as they can fire an entire magazine of bullets in seconds, often hitting uninvolved bystanders,” DeGree stated. “ATF is committed to working with our partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals like Ward who endanger our neighborhoods.”
Ward’s arrest and prosecution involved collaborative efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Secret Service, and the Upper Merion Township Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lanni, Everett Witherell, and Shayna Gannone.
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