BALTIMORE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL FIREARM CHARGE AFTER POLICE DISCOVER RIFLE INSIDE BABY CRIB

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — A 37-year-old Baltimore man with prior felony convictions has pleaded guilty to a federal firearm-possession offense after police discovered a semiautomatic rifle inside a baby crib during a search of his residence connected to a separate shooting investigation.

Arsenio Hall entered his guilty plea in federal court, according to an October 16, 2026, announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. His criminal record includes two convictions for second-degree assault, one involving domestic violence, along with previous drug-related convictions that prohibited him from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.

The firearm was discovered on December 19, 2024, when members of the Baltimore Police Department’s SWAT Team assisted Baltimore County Police Department detectives in executing an arrest warrant for Hall and a search-and-seizure warrant at his residence.

The warrants were associated with a November 2024 shooting in Baltimore County. During the search, officers recovered a semiautomatic rifle from a baby crib located inside Hall’s bedroom.

The discovery raised significant firearm safety concerns because the weapon had been stored in an area ordinarily intended for an infant. The Justice Department’s announcement did not establish whether a child was present when officers recovered the rifle or provide additional details concerning its condition, ammunition, or accessibility.

The separate shooting investigation provided the circumstances leading police to Hall’s residence, but the federal announcement does not establish that Hall was convicted of an offense arising from that shooting. His guilty plea concerns the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited person.

Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), federal law generally prohibits individuals convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing firearms or ammunition when the applicable jurisdictional requirements are satisfied. The prohibition operates independently of whether a firearm was discharged or used to commit another criminal offense.

Hall’s prior assault convictions are particularly relevant to the federal prosecution because the government has identified domestic violence as an important concern in cases involving prohibited firearm possession.

The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Safe Home, two law enforcement initiatives involving federal, state, and local partnerships.

Project Safe Neighborhoods coordinates investigative and prosecutorial resources to address gun violence and repeat violent offenders. Its framework combines targeted enforcement with community partnerships, prevention programs, and efforts to reduce violent crime.

Project Safe Home focuses on firearm-related domestic violence risks and the enforcement of applicable firearm restrictions against qualifying offenders. The initiative operates within the broader federal response to domestic violence and efforts to prevent incidents from escalating into lethal violence.

The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office has emphasized cooperation with Baltimore law enforcement agencies and community organizations to address firearm offenses, particularly cases involving individuals whose criminal histories prevent lawful firearm possession.

The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baltimore Police Department, with Baltimore County detectives participating in the warrant operation that led to the weapon’s recovery.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea alongside Charles Doerrer, Special Agent in Charge of ATF, and Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley.

Hayes credited the cooperation between federal and local authorities for advancing the investigation and acknowledged Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin, who prosecuted the case.

Hall faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2027, at 11 a.m.

The sentence will be determined after the court considers the applicable federal sentencing guidelines, Hall’s criminal history, the circumstances of the offense, and other statutory sentencing factors.

Hall’s guilty plea establishes his criminal responsibility for the federal firearm-possession offense. The upcoming sentencing will determine the punishment for possessing a weapon despite the legal restrictions imposed by his prior felony convictions.

The case also demonstrates how investigations into separate criminal incidents can uncover additional federal offenses, allowing local police and federal authorities to pursue firearm violations supported by evidence recovered during lawful searches.

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