FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
OCTOBER 11, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOTBALL COACH CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY
POSSESSING LOADED GUN AT ASPEN HILL YOUTH FOOTBALL GAME
Baltimore Man Allegedly Threatened Referee and Possessed Gun
Despite Prior Felony Conviction
Greenbelt, Maryland - Aaron McCown, age 31, of Baltimore, has been charged by criminal complaint of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in connection with an incident that occurred at a youth football game, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “We want to make it crystal clear that criminals who carry guns in Maryland will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the criminal complaint affidavit, on September 22, 2007, at Aspen Hill Park on Baltic Avenue in Aspen Hill Maryland, a referee ended a youth football game early due to inappropriate behavior by one of the teams and its coaching staff. Thereafter, the team’s coach Aaron McCown threatened the referee. McCown was then seen proceeding toward the parking lot and back to the field towards the referee holding a black bag. Witnesses called the police. When police arrived, witnesses saw McCown run back to the parking lot, place the bag into the bed of a pickup truck and leave.
A Maryland National Capital Park Police officer met with the referee who stated that he saw McCown place a black bag in the truck. The owner of the truck consented to a search which revealed a black bag containing a .45 pistol loaded with four rounds of ammunition. Further investigation revealed that McCown is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction in Baltimore City.
McCown face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and has his initial appearance in federal district court in Greenbelt at 2:45 p.m. today.
A criminal complaint not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montgomery County Police Department and the Maryland National Capital Park Police for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Michele Sartori, who is prosecuting the case.