Baltimore City Wire

U.S. District Chief Judge George Levi Russell, III has sentenced Maimouna Bagayoki of Owings Mills, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison. Bagayoki was convicted for wire fraud and receiving stolen motor vehicles intended for illegal shipment to West Africa. Her sentence includes two years of supervised release and restitution amounting to $60,569.87.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron alongside other officials including Michael McCarthy, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Adam Rottman, Port of Baltimore Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department Commissioner; and Robert McCullough, Chief of the Baltimore County Police Department.

As per the plea agreement, Bagayoki collaborated with others in 2021 to transport stolen luxury vehicles into Maryland. These vehicles were then loaded onto large cargo shipping containers at the Port of Baltimore using fraudulent documentation. The containers were destined for West Africa. The recovered vehicles had a value exceeding $650,000 and were primarily stolen from residences in New Jersey and New York.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the efforts of HSI, CBP, Baltimore City Police, and Baltimore County Police in their investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn prosecuted the case.

Further information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office is available on their website.