Attorney General Anthony Brown announced in a statement that two leaders of a “violent criminal organization” operating in Baltimore city have been sentenced.
According to a statement, James Brunson, 41, and Ernest Hudson, 38, from Baltimore, were described as the key figures in a violent drug trafficking group that operated mainly in Baltimore, particularly in the Shipley Hill, Booth-Boyd, and Fayette Street neighborhoods.
The organization has charged a total of 33 people for their participation, and so far, 30 of them have received their sentences.
“All Marylanders deserve to live in safe, thriving communities free from the threat of violence,” Attorney General Brown said. “This case is a testament to our relentless pursuit of those who flood our neighborhoods with deadly drugs and firearms. Cases like this one that remove guns, drugs, and dangerous people from our streets make our communities safer and serve as a clear warning: if you choose to spread violence and terrorize our neighbors, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and you will be held fully accountable.”
The Baltimore Police Department conducted a 16-month long investigation as part of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS), leading to the initial charges.
The investigation revealed that Hudson distributed significant amounts of controlled dangerous substances to various individuals, including undercover detectives. Additionally, he boasted about his participation in shootings and other violent activities, as stated in the report.
On March 10, 2025, Brunson admitted guilt to various offenses, including conspiring to oversee a criminal group and unlawfully holding a regulated firearm. The court handed him a 20-year prison term, but 15 years were suspended in exchange for three years of supervised probation. Brunson is required to serve the initial five years of his sentence with no chance of parole.
Hudson pleaded guilty in August 2024 to several crimes, including overseeing a criminal organization, distributing a substantial amount of fentanyl, and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, with the first five years being served without the chance of release.
According to the inquiry, Hudson delivered substantial amounts of controlled dangerous narcotics to a wide range of persons, including undercover detectives. He also brags about his involvement in shootings and other forms of violence, according to the statement.
Since December 2023, authorities have sentenced 28 other defendants in relation to the investigation.
“GVRS continues to allow us to pursue the violent groups who are most responsible for harming our communities,” Mayor Scott said. “While we offer those at the highest risk of violence a way out of the life through services and life coaching, we have to balance support for those who want it with accountability for those who make the choice to continue to use guns and participate in violent groups. This strategy continues to work because of the dedication, commitment, and follow-through of all our law enforcement and violence intervention partners.”
Three suspects – Nicholas Jones, Lamont Laws-Rosenboro, and Shytia Moody – are still at large in this case, with warrants out for their arrests.
