Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in East Baltimore Shootout

Baltimore, Maryland - A Baltimore man received a federal prison term stemming from an attempted drive-by shooting.

U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced James Beverly, Jr., 40, to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in connection with the East Baltimore shootout.

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).

"Drive-by shootings create fear, violence, and instability in our neighborhoods," Hayes said. "Beverly demonstrated a reckless disregard for human life, and today's sentence holds him accountable. Importantly, because this is a federal sentence, there is no possibility of parole. Our Office remains committed to protecting our communities from violent offenders like Beverly."

"ATF is on the front lines of the fight against violent crime," Doerrer said. "We are proud to stand with our federal and local partners in holding Beverly accountable for his incredibly dangerous behavior."

According to court documents, in February 2024, Beverly, with his jacket and pants pocket filled with fentanyl and cocaine base packaged for distribution, stood on an East Baltimore corner. He also possessed a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Beverly is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions, including convictions for first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.

As Beverly stood on the corner, a dark-colored SUV pulled alongside Beverly. Then the passenger opened fire, shooting approximately 10 rounds at Beverly. When the shooting started, Beverly fell to the ground and remained there as the gunman fired additional shots.

After the shooting stopped, and the vehicle began pulling away, Beverly pulled out his firearm, rolled over, and started firing in the direction of the fleeing vehicle. A surveillance camera captured Beverly recklessly discharging the firearm 11 times at the vehicle after he was no longer under attack. Beverly then threw the gun into a nearby deli. Then when law enforcement responded to a call about the shooting, BPD officers apprehended Beverly, found narcotics and cash on him, and recovered the firearm from the deli.

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. U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia McLane and Stanton Lawyer for their work on the 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.

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