FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

MARCH 30, 2007

BALTIMORE MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 21 YEARS FOR GUN CRIMES

Victim Returns Home to Find Defendant Asleep On Couch With Guns and Wearing Body Armor

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced James Jones, age 29, of Baltimore today to 262 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release following his conviction at trial by a federal jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Blake enhanced Jones’ sentence upon finding that he is an armed career criminal based on three previous convictions for assault, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine.

According to testimony presented at his November 27, 2006 trial, on March 29, 2005, a man returned to his home on North Carey Street in Baltimore to find his back door broken in and two men asleep on a couch in his living room. He called the police who found Jones and another man asleep on a couch in the living room. In Jones’ lap was a Charter Arms .44 caliber revolver and a Walter PPK/S .380 caliber pistol. Jones was also wearing a body armor vest.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Baltimore City Police Department, and commended Assistant United States Attorney Greg Welsh, who prosecuted the case.