Hieu Trung Vu, a 37-year-old previously convicted felon and illegal alien from Vietnam, pleaded guilty on Mar. 31 in U.S. District Court to charges related to drug trafficking and unlawful possession of firearms in Washington, D.C., according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address drug-related crimes and illegal firearm possession within the community. Vu faces sentencing on July 30, 2026, and is subject to deportation following his sentence due to his immigration status.
According to court documents, Metropolitan Police responded on Dec. 4, 2025, to an emergency call from a woman who reported narcotics at her Airbnb residence in Georgetown. Officers obtained a search warrant for the property located on the 1400 block of Wisconsin Ave. NW and discovered two handguns along with several types of drugs packaged for distribution.
Laboratory tests confirmed that Vu possessed methamphetamine (about 48 grams), cocaine (about 14 grams), cocaine base (about 2 grams), amphetamine (about 6 grams), and fentanyl (about 10 grams) with intent to distribute them. The firearms recovered included a Glock 43X loaded with nine rounds and a CZ Model 27 pistol; both were admitted by Vu as belonging to him.
Vu was previously convicted in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2022 for possession with intent to manufacture or sell narcotics—a conviction that prohibited him from possessing any firearm under federal law.
U.S. Attorney Pirro said: “Vu was operating a drug trafficking scheme out of a Georgetown Airbnb while armed with two loaded pistols. He had no legal right to be in this country, no legal right to possess firearms, and no right to endanger our communities with these deadly narcotics… This prosecution will reinforce that he has no right to victimize our citizens ever again.”
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division. The case falls under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative supporting federal efforts against gun violence.
