Baltimore Man Indicted On Federal Charges Related To Possessing A Handgun With An Extended Magazine In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury in Maryland returned an indictment yesterday charging Jimmie Martin, aka Doodles, of Baltimore City, Maryland, with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore City; and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh.

According to the three-count indictment, on March 6, 2020, Martin, who was previously convicted of a felony offense, knowingly possessed a handgun and an extended magazine with the capacity to hold 30 cartridges of ammunition, and 29 cartridges of ammunition. The firearm and ammunition were in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. Martin also possessed cocaine with the intention to distribute.

If convicted, Martin faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.        

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, BPD, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, and the Maryland Attorney General’s Office for their work in this investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Loveland, Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gallena, who are prosecuting the case.

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