FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
April
30, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE FELON EXILED TO 15 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON
FOR POSSESSING A GUN
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Desmond McCoy, age 23, of Baltimore, today to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of a gun by a convicted felon. Judge Bennett enhanced McCoy’s sentence upon finding that he is an armed career criminal based on three previous drug and violent felony convictions.
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 McCoy’s plea agreement, on June 12, 2008, near the corner of Ashland Avenue and Montford Avenue in Baltimore, McCoy fired a handgun repeatedly at a victim. The victim was wounded and taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition and treated for his injuries.
A Baltimore police officer witnessed the shooting and requested the assistance of other officers. Officers followed McCoy and saw him duck in an alley a few blocks away, where he left his gun. McCoy entered a nearby residence and was arrested upon leaving the residence. Gunshot residues were found on McCoy’s left hand. Officers recovered from the alley a .380 caliber pistol used by McCoy in the shooting.
McCoy had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a gun.
Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thiruvendran Vignarajah and Bryan Giblin, who prosecuted this case.