FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
January
15, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE FELON EXILED TO 17 ½ YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF A GUN
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Wade Gayle, age 29, of Baltimore, today to 17 ½ years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Quarles enhanced Gayle’s sentence upon finding that he was an armed career criminal based on four previous narcotics 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 evidence presented at Gayle’s two day trial, on January 4, 2009, Baltimore City Police detectives observed a Mercedes Benz blocking the intersection of W. Mosher Street and N. Carrollton Avenue in Baltimore City and approached the vehicle to investigate why the car was stopped in the middle of the intersection. As the detectives approached the passenger side of the car, one of the detectives saw the passenger, later identified as Wade Gayle, make a motion towards his waistband area. A detective observed the butt of a firearm protruding from the Gayle’s waistband.
The detectives asked Gayle to get out of the car and retrieved a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol from Gayle’s waistband. After the gun was removed, Gayle struggled with the detective and ran away. After a short pursuit Gayle was caught and arrested.
Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, who prosecuted the case.