A Baltimore man was sentenced in federal court after a drug trafficking and gun case tied to an arrest near Pontiac Avenue. Authorities described the matter as involving controlled substances, a firearm, and conduct that later followed him into booking.
The case began when officials said they watched Plenty in Baltimore, then moved into an arrest record built on what officers reported finding. The later court outcome now leaves the details to trial evidence, sentencing records, and the federal supervision period ahead.
How the Pontiac Avenue Arrest Began
On March 5, 2024, authorities observed Alonzo Plenty walking near the 800 block of Pontiac Avenue in Baltimore. Trial evidence said he was “displaying the characteristics” of an armed person. That observation gave officers a reason to watch closely before the chase began.
When Plenty noticed officials watching him, according to evidence, he ran down an alley. Law enforcement agents pursued him, and during the chase they saw him attempt to discard a gun. The moment shifted the encounter from observation to firearm evidence.
Authorities recovered the gun and arrested Plenty after the chase. That recovery mattered at trial because prosecutors later tied the firearm to the drug trafficking charges, not only a foot chase. Officials said the weapon became one central piece of evidence.
What Officials Reported Finding After the Arrest
During his arrest, officials found 32 individual baggies of cocaine base and 26 gel caps containing a counterfeit controlled substance. The packaging matters because prosecutors often look at small units as evidence tied to selling, not one personal amount carried casually.
They also reported finding 2 cell phones and $3,255 in cash on Plenty. Cash does not prove trafficking by itself, but when paired with bagged drugs and phones, it can help prosecutors argue the items were meant for distribution in a Baltimore court.
Officials said the recovered gun had been reported stolen from a Baltimore Police Department officer in 2006. That detail added weight to the firearm side of the case, especially because Plenty was sentenced as a prohibited person in possession of a gun.
What Happened During Booking and Sentencing
After the arrest, Plenty was taken to the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center. During a routine strip search there, authorities said he tried to flee the facility, turning the booking process into another piece of conduct prosecutors could point to later.
During that unsuccessful escape attempt, officials said Plenty tried to get rid of a clear plastic bag he had removed from his underwear. Officers recovered the bag from a holding cell, keeping the search evidence tied directly to the booking timeline.
The bag contained 50 buprenorphine strips, also known as Suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance. On Tuesday, Plenty was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for drug trafficking and firearm convictions.
Endnote
Debate around this Baltimore case sits with why federal prosecutors treat drug trafficking and firearms together. A stolen police gun in a street-level arrest changes the risk picture, because cocaine sales, cash, and weapons can make ordinary neighborhood encounters dangerous fast.
Plenty now faces 11 years in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release, so the next chapter is custody and monitoring, not another hearing. The case also shows how arrest conduct and booking conduct can shape the final sentence.