Yusef Payne, Stolen Firearm Possession, MD 2017

Yusef Payne, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm—admitting he carried a 9mm handgun he knew or believed was stolen. The conviction lands Payne squarely in federal crosshairs, where a no-parole sentence looms after prior felony convictions barred him from owning any weapon.

The October 30, 2017 incident erupted when Baltimore Police spotted Payne, already wanted on an open warrant tied to a separate 9mm handgun charge from October 15. Officers moved in to arrest him, but Payne bolted—dumping a handgun mid-flight. One officer chased him down and recovered the discarded weapon: a second 9mm handgun, magazine loaded with seven cartridges. Forensic checks confirmed it was not lawfully his.

Payne admitted in court filings that he knew—or had reason to believe—the firearm was stolen. As a convicted felon with at least two prior felony convictions, federal law strictly prohibited him from possessing any firearm or ammunition. His guilty plea in U.S. District Court seals a deal with prosecutors: if accepted by the court, Payne will serve nine years behind bars without chance of parole.

Sentencing is set for July 8, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan C. Mathias, under the oversight of United States Attorney Robert K. Hur, who underscored the federal crackdown on armed offenders.

‘Armed criminals must know that gun crime will lead to federal time, which has no parole—ever,’ Hur said. ‘We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove those who would commit violence from our community. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.’

This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to combat violent crime. Through coordinated efforts between ATF, Baltimore Police, and state corrections, PSN targets repeat violent offenders. U.S. Attorney Hur credited the ATF Baltimore Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada, Commissioner Michael Harrison, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their relentless work in closing the case.

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