Salisbury man sentenced for illegal firearm possession

SALISBURY, Md. – A Salisbury man has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and illegal possession of a regulated firearm.

The charges stem from a traffic violation on August 26, 2022. Salisbury Police officers tried to contact 23-year-old Jerziah Witherspoon, however, Witherspoon ran and led police on a brief foot pursuit. When officers made contact with Witherspoon, they found a handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition directly in front of Witherspoon. A search of Witherspoon’s person led to the discovery of 933 wax folds of heroin and a large amount of cash. Police say Witherspoon was prohibited from possessing a firearm based on a previous conviction for illegal drug dealing.

As a result of the plea, Witherspoon was sentenced to 30 years of incarceration with all but 12 suspended, of which 5 years is a mandatory minimum sentence.