Baltimore Man Admits to Possessing Machine Gun without Serial Number

A Baltimore man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a machine gun, stemming from an incident in 2023 where officers recovered a modified ghost gun during a traffic stop. The weapon, originally a semi-automatic handgun, had been altered with a conversion device to operate as a fully automatic machine gun.

According to court documents, on April 19, 2023, officers with the Baltimore Police Department’s Eastern District Community Intelligence Center were conducting surveillance in the 500 block of North Patterson Park Avenue when they observed Garrick Powell, 32, displaying behavior indicative of carrying a firearm. Powell later entered a vehicle and drove away, prompting officers to initiate a traffic stop.

A search of Powell’s vehicle led to the discovery of a loaded Poly80 9mm handgun, equipped with an extended magazine. The firearm, sometimes referred to as a “ghost gun” due to its lack of a serial number, had been fitted with a conversion device allowing it to fire automatically. Officers also recovered an additional extended magazine and 63 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Federal prosecutors noted that Powell’s case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing gun violence through coordinated law enforcement efforts and community engagement. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2025, and will be determined by a federal judge in accordance with sentencing guidelines and statutory considerations.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland

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