DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Maryland

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Stephen M. Schenning
, United States Attorney
Contact: Elizabeth Morse

Baltimore BGF Member Sentenced To 31 And A Half Years In Prison For 2013 Murder Of Witness

Defendant Killed Victim to Prevent Him from Testifying in State Case Against Fellow Gang Member

Baltimore, Maryland – United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Wesley Jamal Brown, a/k/a “Wes,” age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 31 and a half years in prison, followed by five years of supervised released for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as the Black Guerilla Family’s Greenmount Avenue Regime.  Brown had admitted that on May 2, 2013, he murdered a witness to prevent him from testifying against a fellow BGF member in a pending state case.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr., of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl DeSousa; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, Brown was a member of the BGF Greenmount Regime, formerly known as the Young Guerilla Family, or YGF.  Between 2005 and September 2017, Brown agreed with other BGF members to engage in crimes to further the interest of the gang, including drug distribution, murder, robbery, witness tampering, and witness retaliation.  Brown admitted that he personally engaged in drug trafficking and murder in furtherance of BGF.

Specifically, Brown admitted that on or about April 26, 2013, he possessed with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin.  Brown further admitted that on or about June 20, 2013, he possessed 51 grams of heroin and a quantity of cocaine that he planned to sell. 

Brown further admitted that on or about May 2, 2013, in the 600 block of Cokesbury Avenue, he shot and killed Moses Malone with a .22 caliber handgun.  In the weeks before his death, Malone had been the victim of a robbery and shooting committed by Norman Handy, Brown’s half-brother and fellow member of the BGF Greenmount Regime.  On April 19, 2013, Malone identified Handy as the person who robbed and shot him during an interview with Baltimore Police officers.  Brown admitted that he shot and killed Malone to prevent him from testifying against Handy in the pending state case. 

According to his plea agreement, Brown was a member of the BGF Greenmount Regime, formerly known as the Young Guerilla Family, or YGF.  Between 2005 and September 2017, Brown agreed with other BGF members to engage in crimes to further the interests of the gang, including drug distribution, murder, robbery, witness tampering, and witness retaliation.  Brown admitted that he personally engaged in drug trafficking and murder in furtherance of BGF.

Brown admitted that on or about May 12, 2013, he exchanged text messages with a BGF associate, in which he agreed to sell the .22 caliber handgun that he had used to kill Malone for $250. 

Acting United States Attorney Schenning commended ATF Baltimore, FBI Baltimore, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Christina A. Hoffman, who prosecuted the case. 

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Baltimore Field Division