A federal jury has convicted Jermaine Porter, 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Porter was already on federal supervised release after a 2018 conviction for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland, along with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court records, officers from BPD’s Northeast District Action Team stopped Porter on March 3, 2023, in the 3900 block of Loch Raven Blvd. Officers had observed Porter moving in his seat before pulling him over and suspected he was hiding something. During the stop, police removed Porter from his vehicle and found a light blue SCCY CPX-1 9mm handgun loaded with eight rounds under his legs.
Because of his prior felony conviction, Porter is barred from owning firearms or ammunition. This marks his second federal felony conviction related to weapons possession. He now faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
Sentences for federal crimes are often less than the statutory maximums; sentencing will be determined by District Judge Adam B. Abelson after consideration of U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, December 16.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement efforts at all levels to reduce violent crime and gun violence within communities nationwide. The Department of Justice enhanced this strategy in May 2021 to focus on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it starts, setting targeted enforcement priorities, and tracking outcomes.
U.S. Attorney Hayes acknowledged the contributions of ATF and BPD in investigating the case: “U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation.” She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keelan Diana for prosecuting.
Further information about resources available through the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at justice.gov/usao-md or justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
