FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
July 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL EXILED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF TWO GUNS
Attempted to Rob a Baltimore County Target Store
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Ta-Thasio Martin, age 34, of Baltimore today to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a gun and ammunition, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Motz enhanced Martin’s sentence upon finding that he was an armed career criminal, based on three previous convictions for drug trafficking and resisting arrest.
According to his guilty plea and court documents, on August 27, 2008, Baltimore County police officers arrested Martin as he fled from an attempted theft at a Baltimore County Target store. At the time of his arrest, officers recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from Martin. Martin told the officers the gun was owned by his girlfriend, Julia Powers.
Officers searched Powers’s residence and recovered a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol and several rounds of 9mm cartridges. Powers admitted that she bought both guns and ammunition at Martin’s request, that Martin had accompanied her to the store during the purchase and had advised her what models to buy. Powers admitted that she knew Martin had a prior felony conviction and could not purchase the guns and ammunition legally.
Co-defendant Julia Powers, age 29, of Owings Mills, Maryland pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a felon in possession and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison at her sentencing scheduled for September 21, 2009.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Baltimore County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Debra Dwyer, who prosecuted the case.