BALTIMORE, MD – Malcolm Goods, 31, of Baltimore, is facing up to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty yesterday to illegally possessing a firearm within spitting distance of a school. The bust, a product of a joint operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baltimore Police Department, highlights the ongoing struggle to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them – and away from vulnerable children.
According to court documents, the incident unfolded on September 12, 2021, when Baltimore Police responded to reports of an armed individual near Pennsylvania and Cumberland Avenues. Witnesses described a man on a bicycle, sporting a white construction hat and orange safety vest, openly carrying a weapon. Officers quickly zeroed in on Goods, matching the description, in the 600 block of Cumberland Avenue.
The pursuit wasn’t exactly a high-speed chase. Goods initially complied with officers’ attempts to stop him for riding on the sidewalk – a local ordinance violation – but then bolted. After a brief pursuit, officers apprehended him while he was knocking on a resident’s door. A search revealed the grip of a .40 caliber pistol tucked into his waistband. The weapon, investigators discovered, had an obliterated serial number and was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition.
Adding to the severity of the offense, Goods was arrested approximately one block from Sandtown-Winchester Achievement Academy, a Baltimore public school serving elementary and middle school students. During his arrest, Goods reportedly made several incriminating statements, admitting awareness of possessing the firearm, according to prosecutors. The obliterated serial number raises questions about the gun’s origins and potential connection to other crimes.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron’s office has secured a plea agreement recommending a two-year federal prison sentence for Goods. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for March 3, 2023. The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaborative law enforcement and community engagement. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN strategy in May 2021.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by illegally possessing firearms, especially near schools,” stated U.S. Attorney Barron in a release. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Moore and Sarah Simpkins are prosecuting the case. The ATF’s Baltimore Field Division and the Baltimore Police Department were commended for their investigative work. The full details of the investigation have not been released.
Related Federal Cases
- John Doe, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Baltimore MD, 2024 · Delaware
- William D. Fulmer, Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon, WV 2024 · West Virginia
- Jacob Eddie Junior Pena, Possession of Firearm during Narcotics Ope… · Pennsylvania
- Isiah Smith, Unregistered Firearm Possession, Pennsylvania 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Eric P. Williams, Illegal Firearms Possession, Pennsylvania 2017 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
