Great Lakes Wire

Deandre Martece Williams has been sentenced to 327 months in prison for charges including felon in possession of a firearm and kidnapping, following a series of violent crimes he committed in 2023. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., with United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith describing Williams’s actions as showing an “utter disregard for human dignity” and calling his conduct “nightmarish.” Over three months, Williams targeted fifteen people across eight incidents, resulting in serious injuries to four individuals and the rape of three victims at gunpoint.

The announcement was made alongside James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Detroit Field Division; Chief Todd Bettison of the Detroit Police Department (DPD); and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

Investigators from DPD collected cartridge casings from multiple shooting scenes. Using support from ATF and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), they identified a pattern involving sex workers and their customers as targets. Further evidence gathered by ATF and DPD led to Williams being identified as a suspect. On October 20, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at his home, arresting him and recovering the firearm used in these crimes.

Williams approached victims in parked cars on neighborhood streets, often using his handgun through open windows or doors to commit robberies. After robbing them, he shot at several victims attempting to flee; some were injured by gunfire. Two victims were raped during these encounters.

During the investigation into these robberies, authorities also linked Williams to another case involving rape and adult kidnapping. In this instance, after arranging a meeting via a dating app, Williams held the victim at gunpoint for several hours inside a hotel room while repeatedly raping them.

DNA evidence obtained during his arrest connected Williams to an unsolved sexual assault case from 2012. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct related to that case in Wayne County Third Circuit Court and received an additional sentence ranging from ten years six months up to twenty years.

“We should all hate robbery and cruelty. And this sinister man did plenty of both. For years, he was prowling around our streets. But through ingenuity and hard work, the ATF and DPD made our city safer,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.

“Deandre Williams is a ruthless predator who used firearms to dominate, violate, and destroy lives,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “He didn’t just break the law — he shattered families, preyed on the vulnerable, instilled fear, and left a trail of mayhem wherever he went. ATF’s unique firearm expertise will continue to be the bedrock of gun violence reduction efforts in Detroit.  This expertise enables ATF and our law enforcement partners to identify AND target the most prolific shooters across the Detroit metropolitan community for federal prosecution.  Mr. Williams is a poster child for what this partnership does: removing violent thugs from the community. Williams will now need to pack a suitcase because he will be behind bars.  Exactly where he deserves to be.”

“The investigation of Deandre Williams yielded an unexpected dividend.  WCPO was able to successfully prosecute Williams on a 2012 sexual assault case as a direct result of evidence collected in his federal cases.  We are pleased that all of his victims will see him receive the justice he deserves,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case along with assistance from Detroit Police Department; prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.