FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
December 15, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL EXILED TO OVER 19 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A GUN
Defendant Had Four Prior Violent Crime and Firearm Convictions
Baltimore, Maryland - Chief U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg sentenced Kendall Watkins, age 26, of Baltimore today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Legg enhanced Watkins’s sentence upon finding that he was an armed career criminal based on four previous convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, attempted second-degree murder and carrying a gun, possession of a concealed deadly weapon and first degree assault.
According to trial testimony, on December 9, 2005, a Baltimore City Police officer observed Watkins smoking a marijuana cigar as Watkins rode in a car approaching the intersection of Hilton and North Avenue in Baltimore. As officers approached the car, they noticed the strong odor of marijuana. Officers saw Watkins grab at something near his waist. Believing Watkins to be armed, officers detained him and recovered a loaded 9MM Luger handgun from Watkins’s waistband area. Officers searched his car and found the marijuana cigar, as well as four plastic bags containing approximately three ounces of marijuana.
Watkins’s previous convictions prohibited him from possessing a gun.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy and Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Crotteau, the Baltimore Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Giblin, who prosecuted the case.