BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — A federal grand jury has charged four Baltimore County residents for conspiracy and for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, including privately-made firearms.
Charged in the superseding indictment are Tyjae Bladen, age 21, of Parkville, Maryland; Brian Brownell, a/k/a “Cole,” age 31, of Dundalk, Maryland; Maurice Dacosta, a/k/a “Jr,” age 24; and Cameron Taylor, a/k/a “Chino,” age 21, both of Parkville, Maryland.
Bladen and Taylor are also charged with illegal possession of machine guns.
Bladen and Taylor were charged in the original indictment and remain on pre-trial release. Dacosta is detained on unrelated charges in Baltimore County.
Brownell and Dacosta each had an initial appearance today U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
According to the 17-count superseding indictment, the defendants sold registered, as well as privately-made firearms (PMF), sometimes called ghost guns, which are firearms that lack any identifiable markings.
According to officials, a PMF can be manufactured using do-it-yourself kits sold by several companies.
A machine gun conversion device, sometimes referred to as a “switch,” is used to convert a semiautomatic Glock-type pistol to fire fully automatic.
Firearms and machine gun conversion devices may also be built by using a 3D printer to create the firearm and machinegun conversion device’s component parts. None of the defendants had a federal firearms license nor were they authorized to transport, manufacture, or deal in firearms.
According to the superseding indictment, the defendants acquired firearms parts to be built into firearms and sold.
Dacosta, Taylor, and Bladen are also alleged to have acquired do-it-yourself kits to be built into firearms and machinegun conversion devices to sell for a profit, as well as using a 3D printer to create firearms and machinegun conversion devices.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, between October 4, 2021 and January 4, 2022, Dacosta, Brownell, Bladen, and Taylor allegedly sold an undercover officer (UC) a total of 24 firearms, including 20 ghost guns; two confirmed and eight suspected machine gun conversion devices—several that were 3D printed; magazines; and ammunition. The four ghost guns sold by Brownell were AR-15 firearms.
