WASHINGTON – Antoine Lynch, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for shooting Delonte Maxwell in the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Ave. Southeast in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The United States Attorney’s Office requested a 26 year sentence which would have been the top of Lynch’s 14-26 year guidelines range. Lynch pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed, on March 22, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, Lynch initially got into a verbal dispute with Mr. Maxwell as he was walking by Lynch’s residence. Lynch chased Mr. Maxwell away but when he later heard from a friend that Mr. Maxwell was still in the neighborhood, he left his residence armed with a firearm to find Mr. Maxwell. Accompanied by his friend and Lynch’s young daughter, Lynch found Mr. Maxwell walking along the sidewalk and proceeded to shoot him at point blank range as they passed each other.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant United States Attorney Kacie Weston, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ganjei, who investigated and prosecuted the case.