FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
October 27, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE FELON EXILED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSING A GUN
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Leon Smith, aka Abdul Lateef, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.
According to Smith’s plea agreement, on August 24, 2009 Baltimore Police officers patrolling the area of Queensbury and Garrison in Baltimore saw Smith standing in the middle of the street surrounded by others. When the individuals saw the marked police car, they began to leave. Smith kept patting his pocket as if he were checking for a weapon. The officers stopped Smith and saw a bulge in his pocket. When Smith began to act nervously, the officers ordered Smith to put his hands to his head, patted him down and recovered a loaded handgun from his pocket. Smith was then arrested.
Prior to his arrest, Smith had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a gun.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bryan M. Giblin, who prosecuted the case.