Gun stores in Anne Arundel, Prince George's and Baltimore Counties were targeted in a string of burglaries and attempted burglaries that resulted in the theft of 81 firearms. Photo illustration by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.
An Anne Arundel County grand jury has filed hundreds of charges against four people, two adults and two minors, in connection with a string of holiday gun store burglaries and attempted burglaries that netted 81 stolen firearms.
The indictments were announced Tuesday by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who said that only six of the stolen guns have been recovered, and who asked for the public’s help in finding the missing weapons.
“This case has a two-fold mission. One: To hold accountable those who are responsible for breaking the law. And two: To find a host of stolen guns and remove them from our community,” Brown said at a Tuesday press conference at the Anne Arundel County Police headquarters.
Brown said the indictments send a “clear message” to those who are in possession of an illegal firearm that they will be “found and prosecuted.” All of the defendants are being charged as adults and were ordered held without bail.
They each face scores of charges, including burglary, theft, conspiracy, possession of a stolen weapon, possession of a weapon by a minor and malicious destruction of property, among other charges. In addition to the thefts, Brown said the burglary spree caused $50,000 in damages.
The defendants were indentified as:
- 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.
The firearms were stolen from three gun stores located in Prince George’s County during Christmas week 2023. There were also a number of unsuccessful attempts at gun stores in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.
Katie Dorian, the criminal division chief in the attorney general’s office, said the “organization” accused of committing the burglaries started on Christmas Eve in 2023, using a crowbar to break into a Prince George’s county gun store, stealing 35 firearms. Two more Prince George’s gun shops were successfully hit a few days later.
Authorities accuse the same group of unsuccessful attempts to break into gun stores in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties on Christmas Day, but were unsuccessful. There was a final attempt to break into a Prince George’s gun shop on March 3, according to the indictment.
Each defendant is under the age of 21, which makes it illegal for them to possess a handgun in Maryland. Possession of any firearm is prohibited for anyone under age 18 in the state.
Brown said that the stolen guns were passed on to other minors and people who are prohibited from owning a firearm.
“It’s when these guns have fallen into the hands of those who are banned from possessing them, that’s what creates the greatest danger in our communities,” Brown said. “We must put a stop to this and put these guns off our streets.”
Brown said that these types of investigations “take time.” In addition to the attorney general’s office, the investigation involved police from Prince George’s, Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties as well as the Baltimore office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“So, while I am here today to announce indictments, we’re standing before you with a critical request to the community…to please, speak up if you know anything about these crimes,” Brown said. “The men and women of our area law enforcement agencies are working to recover all of the stolen guns, dozens of them, to remove them from our streets.”
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