FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
January
7, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOUR-TIME FELON EXILED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Antwan Thompson, age 25, of Baltimore, today to 15 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Blake enhanced Thompson’s sentence upon finding that he was an armed career criminal based on two previous narcotics convictions and convictions for assault and possession of a handgun.
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 his four day trial, on May 30, 2008, four Baltimore Police detectives were driving north in an unmarked police car in the 100 block of North Bond Street in Baltimore and saw co-defendant Daryl Taylor standing next to the passenger side of a green Acura Legend parked on the side of the road. As the officers’ car approached, they saw Taylor reach into his waistband, withdraw a silver handgun, and pass it through the open passenger side window of the Acura to Antwan Thompson, who was seated in the passenger seat. The officers testified that they immediately stopped their car and got out. Two detectives approached Taylor and placed him under arrest. The other two detectives attempted to approach Thompson, but he jumped out of the Acura and ran north on Bond Street to East Fayette Street. As Thompson ran between two buildings, a silver handgun fell from Thompson’s shorts and landed on the ground. A detective pursuing Thompson immediately recovered the gun, which was a .45 caliber Taurus semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a round in the chamber and 3 rounds in the magazine. Thompson was caught and arrested.
Daryl Taylor, age 23, of Baltimore, was sentenced on December 1, 2009 to eight years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cheryl L. Crumpton and Debra L. Dwyer, who prosecuted the case.