Federal Jury Convicts Griffin of Illegal Firearm Possession

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Baltimore, MD – A federal jury convicted Earl Leroy Griffin, Jr., age 45, of Sunderland, Maryland, late on December 17, 2021, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division; Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey.

 

According to the evidence presented at his four-day trial, on September 5, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Griffin’s residence and on his vehicle as part of a drug investigation.  In Griffin’s locked vehicle, law enforcement recovered a stolen .40 caliber handgun, loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition; powder cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana; and three Maryland driver’s licenses bearing Griffin’s name and photo.  The vehicle was registered to Griffin.  When he was searched incident to his arrest, Griffin had the keys to his vehicle and $1,870 in cash in his pockets.

 

Griffin had four previous felony drug convictions and knew that as a result, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.  This conviction qualifies Griffin for armed career criminal status.

 

The jury acquitted Griffin on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

 

As an armed career criminal, Griffin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.

 

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 violence crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

United State Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, and the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Morgan and Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.

 

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.