FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
May 4, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TEMPLE HILLS FELON SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS
FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A GUN
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Ehren Van Wart, age 32, of Temple Hills, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, after being convicted by a jury on June 19, 2008, for illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to testimony at his three day trial, on September 14, 2007, agents arrested Van Wart at his home in the 3100 block of Good Hope Avenue in Temple Hills, in connection with charges arising from an incident on September 1, 2007 in Stafford County, Virginia, during which Van Wart escaped from police. During a protective sweep of his bedroom, agents saw a plastic ammunition box insert containing .45 caliber ammunition, a small scale, a narcotics pipe and a picture identification of Van Wart hanging on a wall.
A search warrant was obtained and executed at Van Wart’s home later that day. Agents recovered, among other things: a Cobray MAC-11, 9 mm pistol, loaded with 23 rounds of 9mm ammunition; 71 rounds of 9mm ammunition; 41 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition; Peerless Model 801 handcuffs (stolen from Virginia); a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia; zip-lock bag with marijuana; bag with 42 rounds of assorted ammunition; and black handcuffs with two keys.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Prince George’s County Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force for their investigative work, and commended Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Skalla, who prosecuted the case.