Message from U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes
As I reflect on 2025, I am proud of the meaningful progress made to improve public safety across Maryland through strong partnerships and focused enforcement.
This year, violent crime declined statewide, including historically low crime rates in Baltimore City. These results underscore what can be achieved when federal, state, and local law enforcement work in close coordination. By leveraging Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys and strengthening task force partnerships, our office served as a force multiplier – targeting the most serious offenders and supporting local efforts to keep communities safe.
Beyond violent crime reduction, our office continued to protect taxpayers and public trust by pursuing significant fraud, civil enforcement, and public corruption cases, while maintaining a victim-centered and principled approach to justice.
The progress we saw in 2025 reflects the dedication of career prosecutors, professional staff, and our law enforcement and prosecutor office partners. In 2026, we are focused on building on this momentum. Our priorities include driving violent crime even lower; aggressively prosecuting firearms and fentanyl trafficking; continuing to root out fraud, corruption, and schemes that exploit public funds and vulnerable victims; and strengthening our civil enforcement efforts to protect taxpayers, safeguard government programs, and ensure accountability for those who misuse public funds. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will remain committed to smart, data-driven enforcement and strong partnerships that deliver lasting safety and justice for all Marylanders.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Leveraging Federal, State,
Local Partnerships to Help Drive Sharp Decline in Violent Crime Across Maryland
 What’s trending in Maryland?
Violent crime is down statewide for the fourth year in a row, including in what was previously one of the U.S.’s most-deadliest cities, thanks to cooperative efforts between Federal, State, and local partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is leveraging state-funded Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) to help with the fight against violent crime.
Since 2021, statewide homicides have declined by 50 percent. In 2025, Baltimore City saw 133 murders — the lowest on record since 1977 — which reflects a 31-perecent drop from 2024, and a 61-percent decrease since 2021. This is only the fifth time the City logged under 200 murders since 1970, and is the first time it recorded under 200 homicides in back-to-back years, since 1978. Non-fatal shootings statewide and in Baltimore City were also down, in 2025, by 28 percent and 25 percent, respectively. Additionally, in Prince George’s County, as of December 31, homicides declined by 41 percent in 2025.
These declines demonstrate the value of strategic collaboration between Federal, State, and local law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor, Office of the State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City — who provide SAUSAs to work in federal court alongside federal prosecutors — to tackle violent crime. Utilizing these SAUSAs is directly tied to the drop in statewide violent crime.
In Baltimore City, SAUSAs, who are funded through grants from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, lead efforts to prosecute individuals who violate federal firearm laws. SAUSAs also assist the Baltimore Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with separate armed robbery, carjacking, homicide and non-fatal shooting investigations. Additionally, SAUSAs actively help investigate and prosecute multiple firearms, narcotics, robbery, and carjacking cases with a nexus to Prince George’s County and the surrounding area.
These strong collaborations are helping drive major declines in violence, and are connected to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods. This program brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Government Secures Forfeiture of Illegally
Smuggled Ancient Egyptian Artifacts
Old Kingdom Limestone Funerary Statue
A private collector patiently waits for the arrival of priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts. The problem is the buyer is purchasing stolen relics.
As the looted artifacts are shipped from overseas, and then make their way through a United States airport, the parcels are intercepted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.
Artifact heists and smugglings don’t just happen in the movies. The above sequence played out in real life at airports in Anchorage, Alaska; Cincinnati, Ohio; and New York City between August 2020 and April 2021.
In September 2025, the United States government secured a default judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, completing the forfeiture of 14 ancient Egyptian artifacts illegally smuggled into the United States.
The smuggled artifacts included amulets, stone figurines, a vase, and an “Old Kingdom Limestone Funerary Statue.” The Funerary Statue alone is appraised at approximately $6 million U.S. Dollars. It likely originated from an archaeological site in Saqqara or Giza, which are royal cemeteries near the ancient city of Memphis, located in present-day Egypt. CBP officers discovered and seized these ancient artifacts at several international airports in the U.S., where they were in transit from overseas shippers destined for private collectors.
U.S. Attorney's Office Joins Forces with FBI, Victims/Witnesses to Prosecute Federal Case
 Fifty-five years is a long time.
It’s how long Thaddeus Lamont Wills, 52, of Waldorf, Maryland, will spend in federal prison for his role in a string of commercial armed robberies and a connected murder.
This prosecution, and others, wouldn’t be possible without teamwork between law enforcement agencies and the public. Although it can be a daunting proposition, victims and witnesses serve a vital role in the prosecution of federal offenses.
Without their assistance, prosecuting federal offenders proves difficult. So, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland offers a Victim/Witness Unit to provide services for victims and witnesses of federal crimes.
From November 2020 thru January 2021, Charles County, Maryland, Southern Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Prince William County, Virginia were hotbeds for numerous violent criminal acts.
Offenders committed commercial-armed robberies and carjackings while assaulting victims, threatening them with firearms, and zip tying and restraining them. The violent robbery spree culminated on January 18, 2021, when three masked perpetrators entered a small convenience store in Fort Washington, Maryland, robbing and killing the owner.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince William County Police Department faced a large volume of investigations involving multiple jurisdictions. They also recognized that they needed to form a strong team to prosecute those responsible.
So, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and Federal Bureau of Investigation stepped up to the plate to help local law enforcement prosecute the culprits while keeping victims and families in the loop.
Through this collaborative effort, law enforcement arrested several suspects on January 19, 2021, and Federal charges followed on December 9, 2021. As a result of the federal case, authorities tied four suspects to numerous robberies and carjackings committed in Charles and Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Prince William County, Virginia, and the murder of the owner of a Fort Washington convenience store.
While cases proceed to trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s victim-witness coordinator consistently meets with victims and witnesses and keeps them informed about developments in the case. Eventually, victims and/or witnesses may appear in court to testify on behalf of the prosecution.
Several victims testified at the United States v. Wills, et al. trial, and some delivered victim-impact statements at the sentencing hearing. Wills received his sentence on Friday, December 12, 2025, and another co-conspirator received his sentence back in February 2025. Sentences for additional co-conspirators are forthcoming. The witnesses’ willingness to participate directly led to this prosecution and conviction.
Victims who believe they’re in immediate danger should call 911 or contact their local law-enforcement agency.
Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office Secured Several Prosecutions During Federal Lapse in Appropriations
As the season transitioned from summer to fall, federal government agencies stared a lapse in appropriations right in the face.
But the attorneys and staff at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland didn’t blink.
The Office remained committed to its mission while continuing to work to secure several convictions, indictments, plea agreements and sentencings from October thru mid-November.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes expressed her gratitude for the team’s hard work during the shutdown.
“During the recent lapse in appropriations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland continued to steadfastly carry out its essential mission,” Hayes said. “Our Assistant U.S. Attorneys and staff remained unwavering in pursuing cases that protected public safety, upheld the rule of law, and served the interests of justice. I am grateful for their professionalism and dedication during this period, and we look forward to continuing to carry out our responsibilities with the same diligence and commitment now that normal operations are restored.”
Highlights included successfully prosecuting child sexual abuse; drug trafficking; gun possession; identity theft; bank, mail, and wire fraud cases; and more.
Federal Partners Teaming to Advance Multiple Cases in Connection With Operation Take Back America
 The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and its federal and local law enforcement partners continue to work together to progress several cases connected to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Operation Take Back America initiative.
In tandem with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Baltimore; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore; and state and local partnerships; the office is working to hold those accountable who are involved in illegal activities.
Through these law-enforcement partnerships, the office is currently prosecuting drug trafficking, illegal reentry, and prohibited gun-possession cases against persons who are unlawfully in the United States.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the DOJ to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), while protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Civil Division Helps Successfully Defend
U.S. Navy in Federal Copyright Lawsuit
The intersection of Federal and State laws is often complimentary, but when it comes to the Federal Copyright Act, federal preemption is the rule.
On April 11, 2025, JET Systems LLC filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, accusing the U.S. Navy of violating Maryland law by converting JET’s proprietary software. The dispute arose from a government contract the Navy agreed to with another defense contractor who, in turn, subcontracted with JET. JET initially provided its software to the Navy for testing in connection with the contract.
When JET’s software did not perform to the Navy’s expectations, JET’s subcontract was terminated. JET alleged that the Navy was liable for the Maryland common law tort of conversion.
According to JET, the Navy retained JET’s software and continued to use, copy, and distribute the software after the cancellation of the contract, making the Navy liable. Additionally, JET sued the Navy in the Court of Federal Claims for copyright infringement and breach of an implied in fact contract.
In a motion to dismiss JET’s lawsuit in the District of Maryland, the government argued that the Federal Copyright Act preempted state law with respect to the unlawful use, copying, and distribution of proprietary software.
On November 19, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow granted the government’s motion, agreeing that the “Copyright Act preempts the bulk of” JET’s claims. Additionally, JET could not “state a plausible claim for relief” as to its other claims.
Enacted in 1976, the Federal Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq.) provides protection for intellectual property and precludes state-law actions to enforce rights protected by the Act.
 The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland prosecutes cases, defends civil lawsuits, and files appeals, but all the magic doesn’t happen in the courtroom. There are staff members who work behind the scenes to help our Assistant United States Attorneys successfully hold those accountable who break the law.
Have any idea what an intelligence analyst does at the U.S. Attorney’s Office?
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