Gary Hall, a 34-year-old Baltimore resident, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, as well as possessing a firearm in a school zone. The sentence was handed down by Chief Judge George L. Russell, III.
The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Police Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to authorities, on March 5, 2024, BPD responded to a report about an armed individual at a convenience store. Officers identified Gary Hall as the suspect and observed him walking toward Pimlico Elementary School while students were leaving for the day. An officer pursued Hall and noticed what appeared to be the handle of a firearm inside his jacket pocket.
When officers attempted to stop Hall, he resisted arrest and engaged in a physical struggle with police. During this altercation, officers recovered a loaded firearm with an extended magazine containing 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition from Hall’s jacket pocket; however, Hall managed to evade capture at that time.
The following day, on March 6, officers responded to reports of a burglary at a nearby residence. They found and arrested Hall in the basement of that location.
"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 recognized both ATF and BPD for their investigative efforts. "Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Tsuei and James Hammond who are prosecuting the case."
Additional information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
