Ethan King, a 20-year-old from Baltimore, Maryland, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. Following his release, King will also serve three years of supervised release.
The sentence was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents and King’s guilty plea, law enforcement reviewed surveillance footage from February 7, 2024. The video showed King, who is a previously convicted felon, entering a convenience store in Baltimore where he purchased a Glock 19 handgun equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device from another individual.
On March 15, law enforcement conducted a search at King’s residence and recovered the same Glock 19 handgun. At that time, the gun had an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds of 9mm ammunition and was fitted with a machinegun conversion device—also known as a “Glock switch”—which can turn a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which brings together law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. In May 2021, the Department launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy focused on building trust within communities, supporting local organizations aimed at preventing violence before it occurs, establishing targeted enforcement priorities, and tracking results. More information about this initiative can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and BPD for their roles in investigating this case. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei for prosecuting it.
Additional details about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office are available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md as well as https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
