Seven Defendants Face Federal Gun Charges After Agents Arrest Out-of-State Gun Dealer and Conduct Undercover Investigation of Customers

BALTIMORE, MD—Seven men, including three previously convicted felons, were arrested and face federal gun charges as a result of an alliance between local and federal law enforcement to reduce the number of illegal guns in Baltimore City.

The charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

“A supply chain that brought illegal guns to Baltimore City from Tennessee has been put out of business, and suspects who tried to smuggle weapons into Baltimore are now in federal custody,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.

The following defendants have been charged with gun crimes in the U.S. District Court in Maryland. Five have been ordered to be detained pending trial, and the remaining two were placed on house arrest:

Rodney Donell Henson, a/k/a “Mook,” age 28, of Odenton, Maryland; Antonio Darnell Ennis, a/k/a “Hawk” and “Peanut,” age 32, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; Alvin Gabriel Arciaga, age 28, of Brooklyn, Maryland; Delray Jamare Randall, a/k/a “Black,” age 34, of Odenton; Ernest McCutcheon, a/k/a “Ernie,” age 32, of Baltimore; Leopold Fosso Kengni, a/k/a “Kenny C” and “Kenny G,” age 24, of Odenton; and Leonard Eugene Goliday, a/k/a “Lenny,” age 43, of Laurel, Maryland.

The investigation began in May 2015, after authorities arrested an undocumented alien who was attempting to sell eight firearms in Baltimore City. That investigation led to the identification of a second suspect who brought the firearms from Tennessee and sold them in Baltimore. ATF, HSI and Baltimore Police investigators developed information that the second suspect was bringing many firearms from Tennessee to Baltimore to sell them illegally. The gun seller was arrested while bringing 21 guns from Tennessee to Baltimore in July 2015. Law enforcement agents identified customers of the seller and organized an undercover operation in which the customers were offered an opportunity to purchase firearms in December 2015.

On December 12, 2015, several suspects arrived at the operation location to buy handguns, firearms with silencers, a fully-automatic Glock handgun and other firearms. The weapons were inoperable, and police maintained a covert presence around the area of the operation to prevent any suspect from leaving with weapons. After each transaction was completed, the purchasers were arrested.

According to court documents and information presented at their detention hearings, Henson, Ennis and Arciaga allegedly conspired to illegally purchase a fully-automatic machine gun that was not registered to them, as required by law. Henson made the arrangements to purchase the gun, then brought in Ennis and Arciaga. Ennis exchanged cash for the gun and Arciaga took physical possession of the machine gun.

Kengni allegedly purchased a machine gun that was not legally registered to him.

Randall allegedly bought four firearms although he was a previously convicted felon.

McCutcheon allegedly bought seven firearms although he was a previously convicted felon.

Also on December 12, 2015, a federal search warrant was executed at Goliday’s residence in Laurel, Maryland. According to the court documents and information presented at his detention hearing, law enforcement recovered five firearms from Goliday’s home. Goliday was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Goliday was arrested by Anne Arundel County Police on December 14, 2015 after a traffic stop.

As part of the coordinated state effort to reduce violent crime in Baltimore, the Baltimore City Police Department, ATF, FBI, DEA, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office, review cases of defendants arrested for firearms violations, drug offenses and other violent crimes, and evaluate whether the case should be considered for federal prosecution. Prosecutors evaluate each defendant’s criminal record, the circumstances of the arrest and other relevant information.

Henson, Ennis, Arciaga and Kengni face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of an unregistered machine gun. Henson, Ennis and Arciaga also face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy. As previously convicted felons, Randall, McCutcheon and Goliday each face up to 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. There is no probation or parole in the federal criminal justice system

An individual charged by indictment or criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, HSI Baltimore, FBI, Baltimore and Anne Arundel Police Departments, and the Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who is prosecuting the cases.