Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Karon Foster, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 40 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, for a carjacking conspiracy, and for aiding and abetting a carjacking resulting in death.   

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, beginning in April 2019, Foster was part of an enterprise that engaged in a pattern of deadly racketeering activities, including a series of armed carjackings, armed robberies, attempted armed robberies, and the pawning of stolen goods. Specifically, between April 19, 2019 and August 8, 2019, Foster and his crew committed 13 specific violent crimes in Baltimore, including: eight armed carjackings, including one on June 12, 2019, resulting in the murder of a victim, and five armed robberies and attempted robberies, including two in which victims were murdered.  Three victims were murdered by Foster’s crew during the time of the conspiracy, and a fourth victim was paralyzed as a result of an armed robbery.  

“Over four months in 2019, Karon Foster and his crew were responsible for 13-armed carjackings and robberies throughout Baltimore, including three that killed innocent victims and another that left a victim paralyzed,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron.  “Foster and his co-conspirators used firearms and fear to steal cars, property and most tragically the lives of other human beings.  This case reflects the collaboration and commitment of federal, state, and local law enforcement to hold accountable violent offenders like Foster and his co-conspirators.  Four months of violence will result in at least three decades in federal prison for Karon Foster; hopefully others like him will take notice, choose to put down the guns, and take a different path.”

The plea agreement details a series of violent crimes committed by Foster and his co-conspirators, including a carjacking on June 12, 2019.  As two individuals were talking outside, Foster and other members of the enterprise drove up in a stolen vehicle and parked directly across the street from them.  Four men exited the vehicle, two of whom possessed firearms.  Members of the enterprise approached one of the individuals and announced a robbery.  The first individual ran away while the second person resisted the robbers’ commands.  That person was shot several times and subsequently died from his injuries.  The individual who ran away later returned to the scene and discovered that his/her car and the victim’s body were both gone, and only the victim’s shoes remained at the scene.  Foster aided and abetted the enterprise by driving the stolen vehicle to and from the scene of the attempted robbery and the victim’s murder.

Members of the conspiracy not only promoted their activities on social media, but they also shared proceeds of their exploits.  As part of the enterprise, Foster pawned items stolen from victims. Members also concealed enterprise activities by hiding, destroying, or disposing of evidence.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).  NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.  NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.  For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Brandon Moore who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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