Baltimore County Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm Charges in HSTF Case

Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore County man pled guilty in court today, to drug and firearm charges in connection with a federal drug surveillance operation.

Jacque “Hammer” Brown, 50, of Randallstown, Maryland, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after authorities caught him with fentanyl during a traffic stop.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).

According to the guilty plea, in March 2025, the DEA began investigating Brown after learning that he was dealing fentanyl in the Baltimore region. After investigators identified Brown’s vehicles and Randallstown residence, the court authorized law enforcement to install a GPS tracker on his vehicles and a “ping” order on his cellular telephone.

In April 2025, investigators observed a meeting between Brown and his drug supplier. It appeared that Brown engaged in a re-up with his supplier. A few days after the meeting, investigators saw Brown meet with multiple suspected drug customers throughout the day.  Then law enforcement observed Brown leave his residence that evening with a plastic bag of suspected drugs. When Brown left in his vehicle, investigators initiated a traffic stop.

During the traffic stop, a K-9 officer responded to the scene, scanned the vehicle, and positively detected the presence of narcotics.  After the positive alert, Brown, who was standing with a patrol officer, attempted to flee.  As he fled, Brown threw a clear plastic bag.  Then investigators quickly apprehended Brown, placing him under arrest.

After apprehending Brown, investigators retraced his steps and discovered a clear plastic bag that contained 15 grams of fentanyl on the ground.  Officers also recovered a cellphone from Brown and three additional cellphones from his vehicle.

Following Brown’s arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his Randallstown residence. Investigators searched Brown’s room, recovering 500 grams of fentanyl in multiple plastic bags; multiple digital scales; a hydraulic press; and sifters with drug residue.  Law enforcement also found two firearms, a loaded 9mm Ruger and a Mossberg Maverick 12-gauge shotgun. Brown, who is a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Additionally, investigators searched one of Brown’s phones and discovered messages between Brown and his fentanyl supplier.  The messages revealed that Brown and his fentanyl supplier discussed the high potency of the fentanyl, and that Brown infused cutting agents in the narcotic to reduce the risk of overdosing.

Brown faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and 15 years for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson set sentencing for Tuesday, July 21, at 2:30 p.m.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Miner and Ari D. Evans who are prosecuting this federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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