Silver Spring Felon Sentenced to 37 Months for Ammunition and Postal Keys Heist

Greenbelt, Maryland – In a brazen display of disregard for the law, Andrew Steven Martin, a 30-year-old Silver Spring resident, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme involving the illegal possession of ammunition and U.S. Postal Service keys. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang on June 12, 2024, also includes three years of supervised release.

The sentence stems from Martin’s guilty plea, which revealed a string of illicit activities, including the possession of ammunition as a convicted felon, and the unauthorized use of U.S. Postal Service keys to access mail receptacles. Martin’s crimes were uncovered during a traffic stop in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on May 17, 2022.

According to court documents, a Gaithersburg Police officer conducting the traffic stop detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded a bag containing marijuana, a half-smoked joint, and two U.S.P.S. keys, one of which opened two collection boxes outside the Reisterstown Post Office.

Law enforcement also recovered a stack of credit cards not in Martin’s name, two identification cards bearing Martin’s picture but a different name, and approximately 42 checks bearing the names of payors and payees who were not Martin. In total, the sum of the funds to be paid by the checks amounted to approximately $80,164.89.

The investigation, a part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, a joint effort between law enforcement and the community to reduce violent crime and gun violence, was commended by U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. Mr. Barron also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Gaithersburg City Police Department for their work in the case.

Martin’s crimes highlight the dangers of allowing convicted felons to possess firearms and the importance of community-based initiatives in preventing violence. The case serves as a reminder of the risks associated with engaging in illicit activities and the consequences of violating federal laws.

As part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the Department of Justice has launched a violent crime reduction strategy, which includes fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, setting focused enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

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