Baltimore Man Sentenced To 75 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition

Press Release

Defendant Possessed a Loaded Firearm with Additional Ammunition while Engaging in Drug Activity

Baltimore, Maryland - On October 28, 2024, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Larry Benner, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland to 75 months prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF"), and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department ("BPD").

According to the guilty plea, BPD officers were monitoring Citiwatch cameras in Baltimore city on January 21, 2023 when they observed Benner and two codefendants engaged in drug activity. BPD officers arrived on scene and placed the defendants under arrest. Officers recovered various controlled dangerous substances from Benner, including approximately 87 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of fentanyl, and quantities of heroin, Alprazolam, and Buprenorphine. Officers also recovered from Benner a Smith & Wesson 9mm Luger pistol loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition and an additional drum magazine loaded with 35 live 9mm cartridges.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods ("PSN"), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Kozik and Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O'Donohue III, who prosecuted the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Updated October 29, 2024