BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Tuesday announced that charges have been brought (PDF) against four individuals, aged 16 to 20, for their roles in the string of commercial burglaries and attempted commercial burglaries of Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) stores that plagued Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Baltimore County between the months of December 2023 and March 2024. In total, the group is known to be responsible for at least ten incidents.

Members of the group have been charged for their various roles in the commission of three burglaries and seven attempted burglaries of Federal Firearm Licensee stores, commonly known as gun stores. In addition, one member of the group has been charged with a theft of a motor vehicle.

The group would operate in the late night and into the early morning hours and use a pry bar to attempt to break into the gun stores. During the successful burglaries, the group stole approximately 81 firearms and 10 firearm replicas. Only 6 of those firearms were recovered, and all were found in the hands of juveniles or people prohibited, under the law, from possessing them. Investigators also uncovered several instances of the group attempting to sell or trade the stolen firearms on social media. On at least two occasions, the group was robbed of firearms that it had stolen from the gun shops. At one point, a member of the group accidentally discharged a firearm, which struck an associate in both feet, requiring hospitalization.

“The reality is these stolen guns made their way into our communities, so it has always been a two-part mission: find those responsible and find the guns. We found the people and hear this: break the law and you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Brown. “Marylanders are tired of crime happening in their communities and they want illegal guns off the streets. While law enforcement works tirelessly to find the remaining stolen guns, my attorneys will head to court and work to ensure the case against these individuals is brought to a successful conclusion.”

“ATF will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold those accountable for the burglaries of these Federal Firearms Licensees,” commented ATF Special Agent in Charge Toni Crosby of the Baltimore Field Division, “This investigation will be ongoing until each and every stolen firearm is recovered.”

The defendants include:

• Cy’juan Hemsley, a 19-year-old male from District Heights, who is charged with 200 counts.
• Mahkiya McQuinn-Woodley, a 20-year-old female from Baltimore, who is charged with 189 counts.
• An unnamed 17-year-old male from Temple Hills, who is charged with 199 counts.
• An unnamed 16-year-old male from Upper Marlboro, who is charged with 205 counts.

All four defendants are currently charged as adults. And all four defendants are being held without bail.

“Thank you to the Office of the Attorney General for addressing the recent spate of burglaries at Federal Firearm Licensee stores. These arrests, achieved through local and federal law enforcement collaboration, highlight the importance of teamwork in ensuring community safety. It is deeply troubling that some of those charged are juveniles. The use of firearms by young individuals is particularly concerning, and accountability must follow. We appreciate the dedication of all partner agencies in safeguarding Maryland residents and businesses,” said Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz.

The cases will be prosecuted in Anne Arundel County. The investigation was led by the Organized Crime Unit of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General and included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

“The Anne Arundel County Police Department is grateful for the collaboration with our federal, state and local partnerships and our collective work dismantling this criminal organization responsible for numerous gun store burglaries throughout the region,” said Anne Arundel County Chief of Police Amal E. Awad. “The perpetrators of these crimes damaged businesses and were responsible for many weapons sold and transferred to individuals prohibited from possessing and carrying firearms, creating an increased danger for our community members. Thank you to the patrol officers, detectives and attorneys who worked to identify and hold these suspects responsible for this crime spree.”

“While these defendants attempted to break into a Federal Firearm Licensee store in Halethorpe and failed, through the collaboration of local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, investigators successfully linked the crew to a series of gun store burglaries across the region,” said Baltimore County Police Chief Robert O. McCullough. “Due to those efforts, these defendants no longer pose a threat to our communities. However, the firearms that remain on the street are still a concern.”

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels