Maryland Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

Baltimore, Maryland - A Maryland man received a federal prison term in connection with firearm charges.

U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Keith Cook, 32, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, Cook is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

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 Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to court documents, on January 27, 2023, a BPD officer, monitoring a West Baltimore neighborhood via CitiWatch camera, observed Cook and other individuals in front of a mini mart. During the surveillance, Cook reached into a blue backpack and took out a clear plastic Tupperware container. Then Cook opened the container and took out a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana. Cook then took some of the suspected marijuana out of the bag and gave it to an unidentified male.

Minutes later, Cook again took out suspected marijuana and handed it to a second unidentified male. Based on their observations via the Citiwatch camera, officers proceeded to the mini mart.

Upon arrival, officers located and handcuffed Cook and then searched him. During the search, officers found a firearm, equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 26 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition; 14 Alprazolam pills; 88 Oxycodone pills; a Buprenorphine foil strip; $906 in cash; an iPhone; and a flip phone.

Additionally, law enforcement recovered the backpack that contained the Tupperware filled with bags of suspected marijuana and a clear bag and gelcaps containing a heroin and fentanyl mixture. Law enforcement also discovered a clear bag with 33 clear gelcaps containing a tan powder that didn't test positive as a controlled substance; a digital scale; and various drug-packaging materials.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting the 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.

# # #