FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS CHARVEZ BROOKS AFTER TRIAL FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

Press Release

Defendant Threw a Loaded Handgun Out of His Vehicle While Leading Police on High-Speed Chase

Baltimore, Maryland - After a four-day trial, a federal jury has found Charvez Brooks, age 35, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, guilty of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, in violation of federal law.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF") Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimi of the ATF - Washington Field Division; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department ("BPD"), and Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in the days following the August 2019 shooting of an off-duty Baltimore police sergeant, Charvez Brooks was seen by a BPD Northeast District patrol officer driving a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle suspected of involvement in the shooting. Although Brooks was not involved in the shooting, he immediately fled when he saw the police, leading them on a 10-minute high-speed chase through northeast Baltimore. According to testimony at trial, during the flight, Brooks threw a loaded firearm out the window of his car into a parking lot on Belair Road. Two people, who were standing at a nearby bus stop, saw the firearm get thrown from the car and promptly flagged down police, who recovered the gun. As detailed in trial testimony, during a subsequent interview with the Baltimore Police, Brooks acknowledged that he threw the gun out of the window of his car. At the time of the incident, Brooks had previous felony convictions in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County Circuit Courts for burglary, assault, theft, and drug possession.

Brooks faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has not yet scheduled sentencing.

In August 2020, Brooks was convicted after a five-day federal trial for conspiracy to commit a commercial robbery in connection with the robbery of a gas station owner in January 2018. Brooks' co-defendants were charged with the robbery in May 2018, but Brooks was not identified as the third participant until sometime later. Brooks was subsequently sentenced to 124 months in federal prison for that crime.

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 violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, BPD and Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anatoly Smolkin and Ari Evans, who are prosecuting the federal case. He also recognized the assistance of the Paralegal Specialist Kristy L. Penny.

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.

# # #

Contact

Updated April 19, 2024