Erick Blanco-Cordova, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Mar. 20 to two years in prison for pointing a firearm at a taxicab driver in November 2019, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The case highlights the consequences of violent crimes involving firearms and the legal response to such incidents in the District of Columbia.
Blanco-Cordova pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Judge Robert Salerno handed down a sentence of two years in prison for these charges, followed by three years of supervised release.
Blanco-Cordova’s co-defendant, Lesly Taracena, received a five-year prison sentence in June 2025 after being found guilty by a jury on charges including conspiracy to commit an armed crime of violence and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. According to government evidence presented at trial, Blanco-Cordova and Taracena were picked up by the victim taxi driver in Arlington, Virginia and asked to be taken to Union Station in Washington, D.C. After arriving at their destination near 7th and F Street NW, both exited without paying their fare. When confronted by the driver about payment, Taracena pulled out a firearm and pointed it at him while Blanco-Cordova stood beside her. The victim fled the scene out of fear. Metropolitan Police Department officers later stopped the defendants and found a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson SD40VE semi-automatic handgun on Blanco-Cordova.
Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department joined U.S. Attorney Pirro in announcing the sentence. “In announcing the sentence,” Pirro said, “U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.” They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Katerina Qesari for prosecuting both defendants as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki for her role in prosecuting Taracena.
The sentencing underscores ongoing efforts by law enforcement officials to address gun-related crimes within Washington, D.C., through coordinated investigations and prosecutions.