Silver Spring Felon Sentenced To 37 Months For Illegal Possession Of Ammunition And Postal Service Keys

Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 12, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Andrew Steven Martin, age 30, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 37 months of federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of ammunition and unlawfully possessing U.S. Postal Service keys used to access U.S. Postal Service mail receptacles.

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Ajay Lall of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg City Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, on May 17, 2022, a Gaithersburg Police officer performed a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Martin.  After approaching the vehicle, the officer detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the passenger compartment of the vehicle.  Law enforcement recovered a bag containing marijuana in the center console, a half-smoked joint of marijuana, and two USPS “arrow” keys—one of which opened two collection boxes located outside the Reisterstown Post Office. 

During the search of the vehicle law enforcement also recovered from the back seat area a stack of credit cards which were not in Martin’s name; two identification cards, one of which bore a picture of Martin and a different name; and approximately 42 checks bearing the names of payors and payees who were not Martin.  Law enforcement also located in the center framework near the floorboard additional checks in names other than Martin’s, at least five debit cards; a privately made 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with 10 9mm caliber ammunition cartridges; and an orange pill bottle containing 27 tablets found to contain heroin and fentanyl.  In total, law enforcement located 47 personal checks and two cashier’s checks in the vehicle.  The sum of the funds to be paid by the checks amounted to approximately $80,164.89.  Martin was arrested on an open warrant.

Martin knew that he had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from possessing ammunition. 

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.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Gaithersburg City Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gustavo Ruiz and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.

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.

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