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AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885  

July 31, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

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

BALTIMORE MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 4 YEARS FOR BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF FIREARMS

Defendant Also Agreed to 10 Year Sentence in State Court for Voluntary Manslaughter

Baltimore, Maryland - Sharif Taylor, age 23, of Baltimore, was sentenced today to 50 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release in connection with his guilty plea to possession of firearms by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Taylor’s guilty plea was offered in federal court on May 16, 2006 upon the condition that he also plead guilty in Baltimore City Circuit Court to voluntary manslaughter and be sentenced in the Circuit Court to 10 years in prison, concurrent to the federal sentence.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein stated, “This case demonstrates the success of the Baltimore Exile Program. Local, state and federal officials are working as a team to make sure that any felon who carries a gun will go to jail.”

According to the statement of facts presented to the court at his guilty plea, on January 20, 2005, Baltimore City police officers, responding to a report that a dead person was inside a residence, found Taylor’s uncle dead in a first floor bedroom. The victim had been shot several times. Officers recovered a semi-automatic pistol and a semi-automatic long rifle at the residence, along with papers identifying Taylor as a resident. Taylor was arrested on January 26, 2005 and admitted to possession of the firearms. Prior to his arrest, Taylor had been convicted of at least one felony.

In connection with the death of his uncle, Taylor pled guilty on March 16, 2006 to voluntary manslaughter in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and agreed to be sentenced to 10 years in prison. Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced in Circuit Court on August 2, 2006.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baltimore City Police Department and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their investigative work, and commended Assistant United States Attorney George L. Russell, III, who prosecuted the case.

This page last modified—July 31, 2006