A Maryland man pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon after using a ghost gun to shoot at Secret Service security guards, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Jeremiah Peter Watson, 24, drove to the entrance of a U.S Secret Service facility and positioned his vehicle to block the driveway in February of last year, the U.S. attorney's office said in a news release.
Watson became combative with security officers when they asked him to move. An officer who thought he was armed sprayed pepper spray at Watson after he reached into his pocket. Watson then retreated and drove away.
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Watson returned, however, and officers saw a flash of a gunshot come from the driver-side window toward them. Watson fired at least four additional shots before he drove away, authorities said.
When police identified his home from his license plate, they searched his residence and found a privately made handgun without a serial number, also known as a ghost gun.
Watson will be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison under a plea agreement, if a federal judge approves, the U.S. attorney's office said.
