FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
June 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE FELON EXILED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A GUN
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Allen Patterson, age 21, of Baltimore, today to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Bennett enhanced Patterson’s sentence upon finding that he was an armed career criminal, based on three previous narcotics convictions.
According to his guilty plea, on March 26, 2008, Baltimore City Police officers saw a large number of people on the sidewalk making a lot of noise. Believing that a fight was taking place, officers approached the group. As they approached, Allen Patterson separated himself from the group and sat on the front steps of a house two doors down. As he bent over to sit down, officers saw the bright white handle of a handgun, as it almost fell out of Patterson’s jacket. An officer walked up to Patterson, asking if he could talk to him and pretending not to have noticed the gun. When the officer got close enough, he grabbed Patterson’s jacket and could feel the gun. Officers recovered a .32 caliber revolver from Patterson’s jacket and he was arrested.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy and her office, 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 George J. Hazel, who is prosecuting the case.