Convicted Felon Exiled to 10 Years for Transporting Stolen Guns

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg sentenced Cedric Age, age 29, of North Carolina, today to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for transporting stolen guns.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief Marcus L. Brown of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police; and Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division.

According to Age’s plea agreement, on January 9, 2009, a Maryland Transportation Authority Police Officer stopped a car that Age was driving on Interstate Highway 95 in Baltimore County for speeding. Arthur Hicks was in the rear of the car. The officer detected the scent of burning marijuana coming from the car. The officer searched the car’s exterior using a dog trained to detect the odor of drugs and the dog gave a positive alert for the presence of drugs. The officer searched the car and seized two loaded semi-automatic pistols and nine revolvers. Officers later determined that these 11 firearms were stolen on January 8, 2009 from a retail store located in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Arthur Maurice Hicks, age 27, of North Carolina, previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and transporting stolen guns and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and ATF for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Cheryl L. Crumpton and Debra L. Dwyer, who prosecuted the case.