FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885  

January 5, 2006  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md                                        

BALTIMORE MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR
FIREARMS AND DRUG TRAFFICKING OFFENSES

BALTIMORE, Maryland - United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announces that today U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles sentenced Ian McDonald, age 30, of Baltimore, to 20 years in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release in connection with his conviction by a federal jury on October 26, 2005 of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein stated, “Any criminal who carries a gun in Maryland should be prepared to spend a very long time in prison.”

According to the facts presented during the trial, McDonald was arrested in the early morning hours of October 21, 2004, after police found a loaded 9-millimeter handgun on the front seat of his car. At the time of his arrest, McDonald was in possession of less than 5 grams of crack cocaine and a small quantity of marijuana.

United States Attorney Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Baltimore City Police Department for their investigation and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in this case. Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Norman and Jonathan Mastrangelo, who prosecuted the case.