Baltimore Man Convicted of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted a Baltimore man in connection with drug trafficking and firearm crimes. 

The jury found Wayne Lee, 36, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person; possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to evidence presented at trial, on July 10, 2023, a BPD detective, surveilling the 100 block of North Howard Street on a CitiWatch camera, observed Lee exiting a convenience store. As Lee left the store, an unknown man approached him and engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction involving drugs in exchange for money.

After the transaction, law enforcement arrested Lee and recovered six orange-top vials of cocaine base from his right hand upon handcuffing him. Additionally, law enforcement recovered a loaded firearm with six rounds of ammunition, from Lee’s waistband. BPD officers also recovered nine more orange-topped vials of cocaine base, eight additional rounds of ammunition, a clear bag containing approximately eight grams of loose cocaine base, and $937. He possessed the drugs with the intent to distribute them and possessed the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lee is also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction.

Lee faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person; a maximum of 20 years for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; and a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

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.

This case is 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 ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who prosecuted the federal case.

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

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