Marcus Lydell Molden Jr., 25, who landed on the Atlanta Police Department’s "top five" most-wanted list in 2025, has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a felon. Prosecutors say he was carrying a modified Glock capable of fully automatic fire with an extended 22-round magazine during a traffic stop after his capture last summer. Molden is now awaiting federal sentencing in September while still facing separate violent-crime and gang charges in Fulton County.
Federal plea and sentencing
According to a press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said Molden admitted guilt to the federal firearm charge and is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 15, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert. "A convicted felon several times over, Marcus Molden was strictly prohibited from possessing any firearm, let alone an illegally converted machinegun with an extended magazine," U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said, underscoring why federal prosecutors brought the case. U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia
How he was captured and the weapon
FOX 5 Atlanta reports that federal and local officers tracked Molden to a vehicle in July 2025 and watched him climb into the passenger seat with a handgun tucked in his waistband. During the stop, officers found a black Glock hidden beneath the seat that had been fitted with a conversion device so it could fire fully automatically, along with an extended magazine that could hold up to 22 rounds. Investigators said that illegally modified pistol was the centerpiece of the federal firearm case.
State charges still pending
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also noted that Molden faces multiple violent-crime and gang-related charges in Fulton County. Those state cases are separate from the federal prosecution, and he remains presumed innocent on those allegations unless and until he is proven guilty in court. Prosecutors said the federal investigation was developed with assistance from the ATF and the Atlanta Police Department, and that Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve A. Hsieh is handling the federal case. U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia
What law enforcement says
Police and federal agents are framing the plea as a win for a broader effort to push violent offenders out of Atlanta neighborhoods. "Getting Marcus Molden off the streets was a priority for the Atlanta Police Department because of the danger he posed to our community," Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. The ATF added that violent offenders who illegally arm themselves can expect serious consequences, a warning that, as FOX 5 Atlanta noted, ties into continuing federal efforts to reduce gun violence.
What’s next
Molden is set to return to federal court for sentencing on Sept. 15, 2026. In the meantime, Fulton County prosecutors will press ahead on their separate state cases. Investigators say the prosecution highlights the way federal and local agencies are teaming up to pull illegal, high-capacity firearms off Atlanta streets.
