Baltimore Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm Charges

Baltimore, Maryland - A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to firearm-possession charges.

Arsenio Hall, 37, is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. Hall is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. Those convictions include two for second-degree assault, including a domestically related assault, along with drug-related convictions.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea 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 December 19, 2024, members of BPD's SWAT Team arrived at Hall's residence to assist Baltimore County Police Department detectives with executing an arrest warrant on Hall and a search-and-seizure warrant on his residence. These warrants were related to a November 2024 shooting in Baltimore County. During the search, officers recovered a semi-automatic rifle from a baby crib inside of Hall's bedroom.

Hall faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander set sentencing for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2027, at 11 a.m.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This prosecution 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.

In response, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland is working closely with its federal, local, and state partners - along with Baltimore City community organizations - to reduce violent crime and enhance public safety. This partnership and coordination between the U.S. Attorney's Office and the City of Baltimore ensures that federal resources are leveraged effectively to address intimidate-partner firearm violence.

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