Baltimore Felon Exiled To 10 Years In Prison For Possessing A Gun In Connection With Drug Trafficking

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced James Arwine, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to use a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.

According to Arwine’s plea agreement, on September 21, 2012, a detective with the Baltimore Police Department was in a covert location and saw James Arwine and Nathanial Hickman enter an alley. The detective observed what appeared to be a hand to hand transaction drug transaction by other individuals while Arwine and Hickman seemed to be acting as lookouts for law enforcement. The detective changed locations in an attempt to determine the drug stash location.

The detective saw Arwine and Hickman remove items from a vehicle and walk back into the alley to a dumpster. Hickman removed a black handgun from his waistband and placed it under the dumpster. Arwine then handed Hickman a second black handgun from his pocket which Hickman also placed under the dumpster. Arwine then gave Hickman a package, which he stashed with the guns.

Detectives moved in and arrested Arwine and Hickman. Two handguns, a loaded .357 handgun and a loaded .38 caliber handgun were recovered from under the dumpster, along with a package containing a bag of empty yellow top vials but no narcotics.

Arwine admitted that he possessed the gun and packaging material in relation to a conspiracy to distribute narcotics and that he was acting as a look-out for other individuals who were distributing narcotics.

Nathaniel Hickman, age 26, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and Judge Bredar has scheduled his sentencing on August 19, 2014.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney H. Brandis Marsh, Jr., a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to Exile cases, who prosecuted the case.