Derek Lamarr Gaines, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Maryland 2024

Grimy Times reports that a 25-year-old felon from Landover, Maryland, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. Derek Lamarr Gaines was handed the sentence by U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus after being found guilty of being a felon in possession of a gun.

The charges against Gaines stem from an incident on August 12, 2011, when a law enforcement officer pulled over a vehicle in which Gaines was a passenger. The officer detected the odor of phencyclidine (PCP) coming from the rear passenger compartment and ordered Gaines out of the vehicle. As Gaines stepped out of the car, he ran away, throwing a handgun that was in his waistband. Officers arrested Gaines and recovered a 9mm semi-automatic handgun with one bullet in the chamber and an extended magazine containing 29 rounds of ammunition, a vial of PCP, and a black ski mask.

When Gaines ran away, the front seat passenger also tried to flee and the driver attempted to drive away. Both were caught by police and placed under arrest. A black ski mask was recovered from the driver’s pocket, and a search of the vehicle revealed two additional guns – a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a .45 caliber machine gun with a 12.5 inch magazine loaded with 38 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition – as well as a third black ski mask.

Additional investigation revealed that the two 9mm firearms were previously reported stolen. Gaines’s co-defendant, Jonathan Jerome Winston, was also involved in the incident and pleaded guilty to charges related to the case. Winston, a 23-year-old from Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 71 months in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Cheverly Police Department, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney William D. Moomau, who prosecuted the case.

Gaines’s sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of committing crimes while in possession of a firearm. The sentence serves as a warning to those who would engage in such behavior, and it is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies to keeping our communities safe.

Grimy Times will continue to monitor the case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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