BALTIMORE, MD – On Friday, Robert Hopewell, 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, entered a guilty plea to federal charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The announcement came from 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, and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
Hopewell was apprehended during a traffic stop on February 8, 2022, after officers noticed a vehicle with an illegally tinted windshield. Upon stopping the car, officers detected a strong odor of marijuana and subsequently searched the vehicle. They discovered a loaded 9mm pistol, shavings of suspected marijuana, and a plastic bag of suspected cocaine. Hopewell admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to a previous felony conviction.
As part of a plea agreement, Hopewell and the government have agreed that if the court accepts the deal, Hopewell will be sentenced to no more than 78 months in federal prison. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled the sentencing for June 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence and fostering safer communities through collaboration between law enforcement and communities.