News Releases

Germantown Man Facing Federal Gun and Drug Charges

For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 10, 2022

Gaithersburg, MD – A Germantown man is facing federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, distribution of controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a drug trafficking crime. 

A federal criminal complaint, filed on March 4, 2022, states that 31-year-old Dwight Luis Clarke, allegedly sold drugs and seven firearms – including privately made firearms (PMF), known as ghost guns to an undercover officer on three separate occasions. Clarke was arrested on Monday, March 7. During the arrest, another PMF was recovered.   

As detailed in a news release by the U.S. Attorney’s office, Clarke allegedly sold the undercover officer approximately 46 grams of crack cocaine; several gel caps of a suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture; two semi-automatic privately made firearms (ghost guns); one Smith & Wesson .22 caliber semi-automatic AR style pistol; one Walther .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; one 33 round extended magazine loaded with one 9mm caliber cartridge; one AR style extended magazine loaded with three .22 caliber cartridges; and one ammunition box, containing 95 .22LR caliber cartridges.

The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Victor Brito of the Rockville City Police Department.

Clarke is being held pending trial. According to the U.S. States Attorney’s Office, if convicted, Clarke faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for distribution of controlled substances; and a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of life in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 

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Release ID: 22-135
Media Contact: S.D. Goff 
Categories: drug-investigation