An Oklahoma National Guard specialist on the D.C. mission got pulled over for an expired tag on Monday, Sept. 28. That stop turned into a felony gun charge.
The 22-year-old specialist is charged with carrying a pistol without a license. No court has convicted him, and he is presumed innocent.
The registration on the car had been expired since May. He was in the city on orders to help police.
The stop
He was off duty, out of uniform, and in his personal vehicle, a Honda SUV, with another Guard member, according to police statements. The officer who stopped the SUV for the expired tag saw an empty holster in the back and asked if there was a gun in the vehicle. He said yes.
Several responding officers saw the pistol, a 9mm Canik. The first arrest listed the pistol and 12 rounds of ammunition. The final charge lists only the pistol.
He told police he was living in D.C. temporarily for the Guard mission. He said Oklahoma is an open-carry state and the pistol was registered to him there. He also said he had no D.C. concealed-carry permit, and a records check backed that up.
He made his first appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Sept. 29. As of Friday, Oct. 2, an online inmate search showed him out of jail custody. His court-appointed attorney did not respond right away to requests for comment.
The D.C. rule
D.C. law bans carrying a pistol, openly or concealed, without a license issued under D.C. law. Carrying one anywhere outside your home, business, or own land can bring up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.
Non-residents can apply for a D.C. license. The requirements include being at least 21, owning a D.C.-registered handgun, and finishing range training with an MPD-certified instructor.
Second arrest in two months
He is the second member of the D.C. task force arrested in two months. In August, a 21-year-old Georgia Guard specialist was arrested and later charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Witnesses told police he pointed his pistol at a fellow Guard member during an argument over Army hairstyle rules, in a parked van on a patrol break. The Army has tightened grooming rules over the last year. He is also presumed innocent.
Joint Task Force-District of Columbia said it was aware of the arrest and that the matter will be handled under established policies and procedures. The task force sent other questions to the police.
About 3,000 Guard troops are still in the city. The mission started in August 2025 and has been extended until January 2029. As of mid-September, 56 of those troops came from Oklahoma.
Over the summer, more than 5,000 troops were in the city during the celebrations around America's 250th anniversary. Guard members have helped police with arrest operations and have also pulled beautification projects and snow removal.
Why an E-4 should care
A lot of Guard troops drive their own car to orders and own a pistol back home. The rules for both change at the state line, and D.C. has its own set.
Before you drive to a mission in another state:
- Check the expiration date on your registration and renew it before you leave. An expired tag started this whole thing.
- Look up the carry law where you’re headed. D.C. wants its own license for a pistol, open or concealed.
- No D.C. license, leave the pistol locked up at home.
- Ask your chain of command what the task force allows for personal weapons before you pack one.
The registration fee comes due either way.
Cover photo: U.S. National Guardsmen with the Mississippi National Guard, assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC) in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission, patrol the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2026. The soldiers pictured have no connection to the case in this story. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Carlos Parra, via DVIDS (ID 9933137), https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9933137/jtf-dc-national-guardsmen-patrol-national-world-war-ii-memorial. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.
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Sources
- Task & Purpose, "National Guardsman arrested in DC for carrying pistol without permit," by Patty Nieberg, Oct. 2, 2026 (updated Oct. 3, 2026), https://taskandpurpose.com/news/oklahoma-national-guard-arrested-firearm/
- Associated Press (via MyNorthwest), "A National Guard member deployed to Washington, DC, is arrested on firearms charge," by Konstantin Toropin and Gary Fields, Oct. 2, 2026, https://mynorthwest.com/national/a-national-guard-member-deployed-to-washington-dc-is-arrested-on-firearms-charge/4282451
- Task & Purpose, "Guardsman faces felony charges for pulling gun after grooming standards argument," by Patty Nieberg, Sept. 8, 2026, https://taskandpurpose.com/news/dc-guard-arrest-felony-firearm-charge/
- D.C. Code § 22-4504, "Carrying concealed weapons; possession of weapons during commission of crime of violence; penalty," D.C. Law Library, https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/22-4504
- D.C. Municipal Regulations, Title 24, Chapter 23, "Licenses for Concealed Pistols" (§ 2345, non-resident applications), Metropolitan Police Department PDF, https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/page_content/attachments/DC%20Regulations%20for%20Licenses%20for%20Concealed%20Pistols_through%20August%2025%202017.pdf
- Metropolitan Police Department, "Eligibility Requirements for a Concealed Carry License," https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/eligibility-requirements-concealed-carry-license
- DVIDS, "JTF DC National Guardsmen Patrol the National World War II Memorial" (image 9933137, VIRIN 260913-Z-PV404-1039), Sgt. Carlos Parra, Sept. 13, 2026, https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9933137/jtf-dc-national-guardsmen-patrol-national-world-war-ii-memorial