Baltimore Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition (DOJ)

Baltimore, Maryland - A Baltimore man received a federal-prison sentence for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Reginald Dargan, 34, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a loaded firearm after a prior felony conviction and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release.

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

According to court documents, on November 8, 2024, BPD responded to a call for an aggravated assault at an East Baltimore residence. Upon arrival, BPD officers met with the victim who indicated that Dargan assaulted her. She also stated that he possessed a handgun.

While speaking with officers, the victim received a text message from Dargan asking her to let him in the back door. The officers then went to the back of the house and arrested Dargan. Then law enforcement recovered a Polymer 80, aka a "ghost gun," .40 caliber pistol bearing no serial number, and one high-capacity magazine loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Dargan's waistband.

Dargan was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to brandish, use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and interference with commerce by robbery. Dargan was on federal supervised release as a result of this offense when he unlawfully possessed the firearm and ammunition, in violation of his release conditions.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Safe Home. These programs bring 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. Project Safe Home is an initiative under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to reduce domestic violence and prevent escalation to lethal violence by targeting offenders who use or possess handguns with a history of Domestic Violence.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-mdLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

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