A federal grand jury has indicted Ron Wardlow, 26, of Baltimore, on charges related to carjacking and firearms violations. The indictment alleges that on February 27, 2025, Wardlow committed a carjacking and used, carried, and brandished a Glock 9mm handgun during the incident.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
Wardlow faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison if convicted. Sentences for federal crimes are generally less than the statutory maximums. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
Officials emphasized that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. “Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding,” according to the statement.
The case resulted from investigative leads generated through ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is a national system designed to capture and compare ballistic evidence to assist law enforcement in solving firearm-related violent crimes. More details about NIBIN can be found at https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which coordinates law enforcement efforts with community partners to reduce gun violence and make neighborhoods safer. The Department of Justice launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021. This strategy emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, focusing enforcement priorities strategically, and tracking results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes recognized both ATF and BPD for their investigative work and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin for prosecuting the case.
Further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
