Md drug underworld/the wire pt 2

[Qdawg]

Pittsburgh drug dealer gets 12-year term
Aug 2, 2006

A Pittsburgh man who participated in a cross-country cocaine distribution network received a 12-year prison sentence in federal court in Baltimore yesterday. Eric Pinno, 41, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As part of his sentence, the judge will order Pinno to forfeit $442,338 seized from him by authorities, prosecutors said. According to the statement of facts presented at his guilty plea, Pinno distributed 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine to buyers in the Pittsburgh area. The drugs were brought across the country from California to Maryland in tractor-trailers and other vehicles before the cocaine was moved to Pennsylvania.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrest // Officer Valerie Casey was in the 1900 block of Brunt St. about noon on Friday when she observed and arrested a man she saw with narcotics. A bag containing $240 worth of heroin - 16 gelatin capsules of the narcotic and loose powdered heroin - was seized. Charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin was James Watson, 45, of the 1100 block of Cherry Hill Road.

[Qdawg]

Member Of Large Drug Operation Pleads Guilty

BALTIMORE -- A member of a large Baltimore drug operation has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Federal authorities said Chet Pajardo, 38, of Owings Mills, conspired to distribute cocaine from about 1995 until February 2005.

Pajardo was one of 13 people charged for their roles in the Rice Organization, described by prosecutors as one of the most dangerous and lucrative drug operations in Baltimore.

During Pajardo's involvement, prosecutors said the organization distributed and possessed with intent to distribute more than 330 pounds of cocaine.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 8.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrests // Two Brooklyn, New York, brothers were arrested Monday by Maryland Transportation Authority Police and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. The two were northbound on Interstate 95 when the driver was stopped for a seat belt violation. In the car, police found $9,341, a digital scale with cocaine residue and 250 empty plastic bags. Held on $10,000 bail each were Brandon Scott Morris, 19, and Korey Brian Morris, 24.

[Qdawg]

City man sentenced on drug, firearms charges
He gets nearly 27 years in prison for crimes related to cocaine trafficking
Originally published October 31, 2006

A 30-year-old Baltimore man was sentenced to 26 years 10 months in prison today on drug and firearms charges, federal prosecutors said.

Lamont Sanders pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, prosecutors said.

According to a statement of facts from Sanders' guilty plea, Sanders sold drugs to an undercover police officer as well as two other people on Oct. 10, 2005. When police officers attempted to arrest Sanders, he rammed a police cruiser with his car and led officers on a high-speed chase through the city into Baltimore County.

Sanders was arrested after crashing his car, prosecutors said, and officers found narcotics and more than $1,700 in drug funds in the car.

When police later searched Sanders' home, they found more than 18 grams of crack cocaine and other drug paraphernalia. Officers also recovered three handguns and ammunition.

[Qdawg]

2 charged in drug case accused in 3 killings
Originally published November 1, 2006

Two Baltimore men charged with federal drug conspiracy were accused yesterday of orchestrating the killings of three people five years ago.

The indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore charges Jermaine Bell, 31, and Roosevelt Spann Jr., 38, with conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to possess a firearm for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm for drug trafficking that ended in murder.

Prosecutors could seek the death penalty against the men if they are convicted of a crime tied to a murder.

As part of a drug conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram in heroin, Bell is charged with participating in the killings of Kenyatta Harris on May 28, 2001, and Angelo Stringfellow on June 26, 2001. Baltimore police have said that Stringfellow was in a gold-colored Saturn in the 600 block of Lexington St. at the time of this death.

Bell and Spann are accused of playing a role in the Nov. 8, 2001, killing of Torrence Johnson, who was found shot several times in the 2200 block of N. Charles St. Details about Harris' death were not immediately available.

The indictment does not spell out how each of the men was alleged to have been responsible for the killings. The defendants are in custody, and no court appearances on the new charges have been scheduled, according to prosecutors.

[Qdawg]

3 get prison terms in drug conspiracy
E. Baltimore gang members also ordered to forfeit more than $2 million
Originally published November 3, 2006

Three members of an East Baltimore street gang received prison terms today in what federal prosecutors described as a multimillion dollar drug conspiracy.

U.S. District Judge William Quarles also ordered the criminal forfeiture of two homes, several dump trucks and more than $2 million.

Terrence Moody, 41, was sentenced to 21 years, 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, prosecutors said. Larry Yarrall, 30, received a 12-year, 7-month sentence and Lashavio Gilliam, 37, was sentenced to 10 years.

In all, 17 defendants have pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy to buy and sell drugs on Baltimore streets from December 1998 through March 2006, prosecutors said.

[Qdawg]

Police burst in to bust drug deals
Coordinated raids on city homes uncover drugs, guns and squalor
Originally published November 4, 2006

The officers strapped on body armor, grabbed a few battering rams and jumped into a dozen unmarked cars shortly after noon yesterday. Using a handheld radio, a sergeant issued crisp orders to the plainclothes officers in the cars, commanding them to line up in the Northern District station house's parking lot on Coldspring Lane.

Then they rolled out, west along Coldspring, and then north, heading into the city's Park Heights neighborhood. Their cars separated into small groups and abruptly stopped before three rowhouses on or near Oakley Avenue.

Timed almost perfectly, officers ran up the stairs of the houses and pounded on doors. At one house, an officer yelled: "Police Department! Search warrant! Police Department! Search warrant!"

But the officers didn't have to bust down the door because it was unlocked. They walked inside, detained a man and two women for about 45 minutes, and searched the house. Nothing was found, so no one was arrested.

So it went during an all-day operation police called "Rolling Thunder." Sometimes, police found drugs and guns; other times, they came up empty. The initiative was the culmination of a monthlong surveillance operation by the department's Organized Crime Division, which targeted drug dealers in East and Northwest Baltimore.

As part of the operation, police officials said, they obtained 25 indictments for suspected drug dealers in those two districts -- areas that have been beset by spikes in violent crime this year. So far, they've arrested five people and are seeking the rest. Yesterday, they conducted searches at 26 houses, using warrants that were separate from the earlier indictments. They said they found three guns, 15 ounces of crack cocaine and 7 ounces of marijuana.

In an early-morning raid, detectives arrested a man they said was a major crack cocaine dealer who was involved in distributing drugs to smaller "stash" houses in the city, said Maj. John Hess Jr. of the Organized Crime Division.

Hess said the man's case is expected to be taken by federal prosecutors because of prior convictions for violent offenses. Police said they seized 12 ounces of crack cocaine, 7 ounces of marijuana, a Colt .45-caliber handgun, drug packaging and a 1998 Infiniti sedan in the raid. The suspect, Daniel Laurey, was charged with drug distribution and illegal possession of a firearm, police said.

"This is just a roundup and icing on the cake," Hess said about yesterday's overall effort.

After spending more than an hour in Park Heights, the officers migrated to the city's east side, where dozens of plainclothes officers gathered in a large parking lot near the Eastern District station house. Some officers tossed a football to stay loose while sergeants plotted the next series of raids.

At 2:19 p.m., a sergeant called out on the radio: "10-4. Unless there's any objections, we're gonna start rolling." And a caravan of about a dozen unmarked cars headed south on Edison Highway, turning right on East Oliver Street. Within three minutes, they were jumping out of their cars.

This time, they hit three houses in the 2300 and 2400 blocks of E. Oliver St.

In one house, they arrested a young man as he was running into the basement. They recovered a .38-caliber handgun that they believe the man stashed in the basement ceiling as police were coming in the front door.

Police officers involved in the searches said they do these types of searches routinely, day in and day out. Hess said detectives try to focus on violent criminals and they use drug and gun arrests as a way of locking them up before they can commit more violent acts.

Sometimes they don't find the drugs or the guns. But they almost always encounter poverty and squalor. In house after house searched yesterday, police officers tromped through filthy living rooms, mice- and roach-infested bedrooms and kitchens, houses with crumbling ceilings and walls.

"Damn, there's a whole colony of roaches up here, man!" one officer yelled out during a search of a rowhouse on Oliver. In the kitchen, Detective Mark A. Walrath held a handgun that was placed in a plastic bag for evidence as a mouse scurried across the kitchen floor.

"Every day, this is what we do," Walrath said about the division's battle against drug dealing in Baltimore. "Running in and out of homes. Every day."

[Qdawg]

Drug arrests // Two men and a boy were arrested Friday afternoon by Maryland Transportation Authority Police and charged with possession of 6 pounds of marijuana and a handgun after the car they were riding in was stopped on southbound Interstate 95 for speeding. Charged were the driver, Leonado Archibald, 31, of Bronxville, N.Y., and the passengers, Everie Levian Foster, 30, of Grand Cayman Island near Jamaica, and a 17-year-old boy from Lanham.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrests // A man and woman were arrested Monday afternoon in the 3500 block of 4th St. in Brooklyn,(South Baltimore) after undercover officers observed drug activity. Santee Taylor, 24, of the 500 block of Cambria St. was charged with possession of a handgun while a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Ashley King, 20, of the 3500 block of 4th St. was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and a handgun offense. Police said Taylor discarded a loaded Smith & Wesson .357-caliber Magnum revolver during a brief foot chase and that 77 gel caps of heroin and more than $150 were recovered at the scene.

[Qdawg]

Teen flees custody near detention center
Originally published November 22, 2006


A 16-year-old boy with a history of drug offenses and thievery escaped from custody yesterday afternoon outside the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, authorities reported.

The boy was being returned from a placement interview at a residential treatment center and broke free from his two case managers before entering the detention center, said Department of Juvenile Services spokesman Edward Hopkins.

The prisoner was not wearing restraints at the time of the escape, Hopkins said, because he was a nonviolent offender being considered for placement in a unsecured treatment facility.

The Baltimore youth has a history of auto theft, burglary and drug-related charges, but not violent offenses, said Hopkins, who was unaware of the reason for the youth's current detention.

[Qdawg]

Guilty plea in cocaine case
Originally published November 28, 2006

The driver of a car in which state troopers made one of their largest single cocaine seizures along a Maryland roadway pleaded guilty in a closed-door session in federal court yesterday, federal authorities said.

A routine traffic stop by Maryland State Police troopers along Interstate 95 in Cecil County in early March yielded 79 bricks of suspected cocaine, each weighing more than 2 pounds and packed in suitcases and a cooler in a 2000 Buick LeSabre.

The driver, identified as Ramon Pena, 26, of Durham, North Carolina, was arrested by state troopers and charged by federal authorities with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Because of the amount of cocaine involved in the case, Pena could face life in prison.

But federal prosecutors said the details of yesterday's plea agreement, including the specific charge and any terms for leniency, could not be revealed. The document had been sealed by U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett. Pena's attorney declined to comment on the case.

It was unclear from court records yesterday whether Pena has been scheduled yet to return to court for sentencing.

[Qdawg]

Prosecutors: Jewelry store was front for drug money
Nov 29, 2006

BALTIMORE - The Reisterstown Road jewelry store was supposed to be engaged in the sale of gold, silver and diamonds.


But federal prosecutors say Metro Broker Jewelers Ltd. in Baltimore also had a more devious business plan for the past 24 years: laundering drug money.

Authorities arrested the store’s owner, Eugene Petasky, 56, of Pikesville, Monday night on money laundering charges.

A federal grand jury had indicted Petasky on Nov. 15 for allegedly laundering more than $300,000 in drug proceeds through his jewelry business.

The seven-count indictment alleges that Petasky conspired with others since 1982 to disguise the proceeds of the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. The indictment also alleges that Petasky accepted cash payments of $12,500 on May 24 and $23,500 on Aug. 24, when he believed the cash to be the proceeds of unlawful activity.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $336,000 and the assets of Metro Broker Jewelers, including bank accounts, inventory and cash.

The maximum penalty for money laundering and money-laundering conspiracy is 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, and five years in prison and a $25,000 fine for violation of currency-reporting requirements.

Petasky was rushed to Johns Hopkins Hospital with high blood pressure on Tuesday and was admitted, his Baltimore attorney Roland Walker said.

An initial appearance in the case was postponed until 3 p.m. today.

Walker said he had not yet discussed the charges with his client but that he rarely advises clients to plead guilty to a charge.

“I fight my cases,” Walker said.

[Qdawg]

City man sentenced for role in drug ring
He will serve 15 years 8 months for conspiracy to distribute cocaine
By a Sun Reporter
Originally published December 1, 2006

A member of an East Baltimore heroin and cocaine ring was sentenced in federal court today to 15 years 8 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, prosecutors said.

Michael Cooper, 33, will also serve 5 years probation after the prison term. Cooper's sentencing was the latest out of 17 defendants who have all pleaded guilty to drug and weapons charges stemming from their connections to the East Baltimore drug ring.

According to a statement of facts presented to the court, the defendants sold and distributed large amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin in Baltimore from 1998 through March 2006, prosecutors said.

[Qdawg]

Drug importers sentenced
Couple recruited African to swallow heroin pills
By Matthew Dolan
Sun reporter
Originally published December 2, 2006

The man from Ghana refused to reveal the contents of his stomach until he reached the hospital. There, faced with the prospect of an X-ray, he started to tell Maryland immigration authorities his death-defying tale.

An emigre in the United States recruited Hopkins Appau back in Africa to swallow dozens of pellets filled with heroin. He boarded a plane, arrived in Baltimore and greeted his American bosses from his motherland -- a longtime Washington municipal employee and his immigrant wife living in a suburban townhouse.

A U.S. District Court judge in Baltimore sentenced the couple, Godfrey Bonsu, 44, and his wife, Victoria Boateng, 42, both of Bowie, to lengthy prison terms yesterday for running a drug courier business out of a Takoma Park Quality Inn.

They were found guilty in February by a federal jury of conspiracy to import and distribute heroin. Yesterday, Bonsu received a 14-year prison term while Boateng was ordered to prison for slightly more than 11 years.

"I'm really sorry. ... I let my children down," Bonsu told the judge. "I had a good job."

U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake increased both of their prison terms after finding that they were supervisors or managers of the drug conspiracy.

"The couriers testified to being given various instructions by the defendants, such as drinking milk, waiting at the hotel and calling the defendants when the pellets were ready," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hanlon wrote in court papers.

In the Maryland case investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prosecutors argued that in 2003 and 2004, Bonsu and Boateng recruited couriers from Ghana to smuggle heroin from Ghana, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Appau, who was arrested in December 2004, carried almost 600 grams of heroin, or about 60 internal pellets.

His fellow courier, James Manu, arrested in September of that year, filled his stomach with 69 pellets and lined his clothing with an additional 3 kilograms of heroin. Yesterday, the judge also determined that Bonsu had obstructed justice by testifying falsely at a pretrial suppression hearing, leading to another enhancement of his sentence.

Bonsu "was employed, he contributed to society," Blake said at the hearing. But despite some undisclosed information the couple provided to authorities about the drug trade, she could not excuse their role as leaders.


Law enforcement agents use a variety of techniques to catch such drug couriers.

"Sometimes we have intelligence provided by an informant or you see that something is wrong with a person," Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Steve Robertson said in an interview shortly after the Bonsu-Boateng convictions in February.

Agents usually try to wait the courier out, taking suspects into a bathroom with a screen to catch excrement. The pellets don't throw up very well, according to Robertson.

"But it's incredibly dangerous. Stomach acids can burn a hole in them. But sometimes people will swallow them and tie them to a back molar and then they pull it back up through their throat," said the agent, who spent 17 years in drug interdiction work on the Southwest border.

[maryland000]

ayy dawg wats up with prince georges I hear shits hot out there wat gangs run what areas?

[Qdawg]

[quote="maryland000"]ayy dawg wats up with prince georges I hear shits hot out there wat gangs run what areas?[/quote]

from what i know ms-13/other spanish gangs is acting a fool out in pg county....i aint been out there in a minute though

[Qdawg]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/ ... -headlines

[maryland000]

O I heard it was all blacks I didn't even think about ms-13 bein there

[Qdawg]

pg do got alotta blacks but at the same time them & montgomery co.got alotta el salvodorians too

[Qdawg]

[quote="Qdawg"]http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/crime/bal-druggraphic1203,0,810776.graphic?coll=bal-home-headlines[/quote]

Shooting // Two men were shooting at each other near the 3400 block of Cottage Ave. about 7:10 p.m. yesterday when one was wounded in the chest and right shoulder. The victim was taken to Sinai Hospital.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrest // Maryland Transportation Authority Police stopped a 1988 Ford sedan on northbound Interstate 95 near the Beltway on Sunday for excessive window tinting and noticed the odor of marijuana. During a search, police found nearly 6 ounces of marijuana and two weapons, a knife and a baton. Charged with possession with intent to distribute and possession of deadly weapons was Cory A. Colie, 18, of the first block of Alder Drive in Middle River.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrest // Officers were in the 900 block of W. Lombard St. about 4 p.m. Monday when they observed a man remove heroin from a car and sell it to another man. Arrested and charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute was David Wilson, 19, of the 800 block of N. Streeper St. Seized at the scene were 27 gel capsules of heroin and $126.

Drug arrests // Maryland Transportation Authority Police stopped a 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe on southbound Interstate 95 near Rosedale for traffic violations Monday afternoon. After the driver and a passenger stepped out, a rear-seat passenger climbed into the driver's seat and sped away -- only to be caught in Southeast Baltimore after running from the sport utility vehicle. Police found 400 capsules containing heroin in the SUV, and arrested the three young men on drug charges.

[Qdawg]

11 arrested in city drug sweep
Federal, state charges filed against alleged gang members
By a Sun Reporter
Originally published December 8, 2006

Eleven people were arrested in Edmondson Village in Baltimore today on federal and state drug charges in a wide sweep to dismantle an area drug gang, authorities said.

More than 130 federal, state and local police executed 18 search warrants in the sweep, authorities said. Five of the defendants face federal charges, and six face state charges.

"Our message today should be clear: local, state and federal law enforcement will not tolerate these criminal activities, and we will use every available tool to dismantle these illegal drug gangs and prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent possible," said Baltimore City State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy in a written statement. "Our partnerships, collaborations and cooperation are stronger than ever and we are working together to make Baltimore a safer place to live, work and play."

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein added: "This coordinated operation reflects the commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement officials to work cooperatively to remove the drug dealers who spread poison and violence on the streets of Edmondson Village."

In an indictment returned on Tuesday and unsealed today, a federal grand jury charged Antoine "Fyffe" Turner, 28; Gregory Williams and Sean Matthews, both 24; Robert Lee Daniels, 40; Jacqueline Brandon, 44; Davon "Jay" Brown, 27; Kennard Whitley, 26; and Kevin Parsons, 41, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin.

Williams, Matthews and Daniels remain at large, while the other defendants were arrested, authorities said.

Also today, a Baltimore grand jury indicted Erica Jones, 27; Catherine Stiles, 23; Andre McLaughlin, 43; David McLaughlin, 19; Joshua Whitfield, 30; Ellen Scullen, 43; Jacque Brown, 30; Roy Chandler, 37; and Charles Owens, 19, with conspiracy to distribute and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. David McLaughlin, Stiles and Brown remain at large.

[ejerzeygirl]

Pittsburgh drug dealer gets 12-year term
Aug 2, 2006

A Pittsburgh man who participated in a cross-country cocaine distribution network received a 12-year prison sentence in federal court in Baltimore yesterday. Eric Pinno, 41, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As part of his sentence, the judge will order Pinno to forfeit $442,338 seized from him by authorities, prosecutors said. According to the statement of facts presented at his guilty plea, Pinno distributed 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine to buyers in the Pittsburgh area. The drugs were brought across the country from California to Maryland in tractor-trailers and other vehicles before the cocaine was moved to Pennsylvania.

Im suprised he wasn't hit with a kingpin charge??? Do they have that in baltimore?

[Qdawg]

Felon gets 15 years for gun possession
Originally published December 9, 2006

A 34-year-old Baltimore man received a 15-year prison sentence in federal court yesterday for being a felon in possession of a Bersa .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol. Chief U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg enhanced the sentence for Jermaine Powell after finding that Powell was an armed career criminal, based on his previous convictions for narcotics distribution and robbery.

After police discovered the weapon and ammunition in Powell's home, he said that the firearm belonged to him and that he had purchased the ammunition from a store in South Baltimore, according to court papers.

[Qdawg]

[quote="Qdawg"]11 arrested in city drug sweep
Federal, state charges filed against alleged gang members
By a Sun Reporter
Originally published December 8, 2006

Eleven people were arrested in Edmondson Village in Baltimore today on federal and state drug charges in a wide sweep to dismantle an area drug gang, authorities said.

More than 130 federal, state and local police executed 18 search warrants in the sweep, authorities said. Five of the defendants face federal charges, and six face state charges.

"Our message today should be clear: local, state and federal law enforcement will not tolerate these criminal activities, and we will use every available tool to dismantle these illegal drug gangs and prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent possible," said Baltimore City State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy in a written statement. "Our partnerships, collaborations and cooperation are stronger than ever and we are working together to make Baltimore a safer place to live, work and play."

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein added: "This coordinated operation reflects the commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement officials to work cooperatively to remove the drug dealers who spread poison and violence on the streets of Edmondson Village."

In an indictment returned on Tuesday and unsealed today, a federal grand jury charged Antoine "Fyffe" Turner, 28; Gregory Williams and Sean Matthews, both 24; Robert Lee Daniels, 40; Jacqueline Brandon, 44; Davon "Jay" Brown, 27; Kennard Whitley, 26; and Kevin Parsons, 41, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin.

Williams, Matthews and Daniels remain at large, while the other defendants were arrested, authorities said.

Also today, a Baltimore grand jury indicted Erica Jones, 27; Catherine Stiles, 23; Andre McLaughlin, 43; David McLaughlin, 19; Joshua Whitfield, 30; Ellen Scullen, 43; Jacque Brown, 30; Roy Chandler, 37; and Charles Owens, 19, with conspiracy to distribute and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. David McLaughlin, Stiles and Brown remain at large.[/quote]

‘Very violent’ Baltimore drug ring busted
Dec 9, 2006

BALTIMORE - In a massive effort that combined federal, state and local law enforcement officers, authorities on Friday broke up what they call a “wide and complex” Baltimore drug distribution network with the arrest of 11 suspects.

Nearly 140 federal, state and local agents and officers executed 18 search warrants Friday in connection with the arrests of five suspects on federal charges and six on state charges.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Violent Crime Impact Team, working with the Baltimore Police Department, dismantled a “very violent” drug organization in the Edmondson Village area of West Baltimore, said Gregory K. Gant, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF.

“This organization’s sole purpose was to distribute illegal narcotics, which created a dangerous environment where people live and work,” Gant said.

“Today we are confident that we have made a significant impact on violent crime in our communities.”

Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein said, “Our citizens deserve to live on streets that are free of drugs and violent crime.”

A federal grand jury indicted eight suspects, all from Baltimore, on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. A Baltimore City grand jury indicted nine suspects also on distribution of crack cocaine and heroin charges.

Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia Jessamy said, “Law enforcement will not tolerate these criminal activities, and we will use every available tool to dismantle these illegal drug gangs and prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent possible.”

The defendants in the federal case face a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, with a fine of $2 million for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Depending on their number of previous convictions, the suspects charged at the state level could face up to 40 years in prison.

[Qdawg]

[quote="ejerzeygirl"][quote="Qdawg"]Pittsburgh drug dealer gets 12-year term
Aug 2, 2006

A Pittsburgh man who participated in a cross-country cocaine distribution network received a 12-year prison sentence in federal court in Baltimore yesterday. Eric Pinno, 41, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As part of his sentence, the judge will order Pinno to forfeit $442,338 seized from him by authorities, prosecutors said. According to the statement of facts presented at his guilty plea, Pinno distributed 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine to buyers in the Pittsburgh area. The drugs were brought across the country from California to Maryland in tractor-trailers and other vehicles before the cocaine was moved to Pennsylvania.[/quote]

Im suprised he wasn't hit with a kingpin charge??? Do they have that in baltimore?[/quote]

yeah

[Qdawg]

15 indicted in federal drug case
By Matthew Dolan
sun reporter
Originally published December 13, 2006

Federal authorities in the Baltimore region launched yesterday their second large-scale drug raid in less than a week.
But the arrests also worried the state's top federal prosecutor, who expressed concern that the influx would make it more difficult to find jail space for federal defendants in Maryland.

A U.S. District Court judge unsealed a grand jury indictment yesterday against 15 defendants for conspiracy to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine and 50 grams or more of cocaine base over the last year, primarily out of Southeast Baltimore.

Of the 15 people indicted on Dec. 5, 13 are from Baltimore, one from Elkridge and one from Aurora, Colorado.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of more than $2 million against the defendants. The figure, prosecutors said, is based on a minimum of 2 kilograms of cocaine obtained per week for at least 52 weeks, at a minimum value of $20,000 per kilogram.

Seven of the suspects were also charged with conspiracy to transfer false identification documents.

U.S. Attorney for Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein said yesterday that together with a similar roundup of defendants in a drug raid last week, he worried that the swelling number of pretrial detainees would be difficult to house.

In large part, the bed shortage stems from the lack of a dedicated federal detention facility for the U.S. marshals to house inmates awaiting trial in the state. Room must be found each night in local facilities across three states to put up about 500 federal detainees from Maryland.

Rosenstein said the U.S. marshals are routinely able to bring detainees to federal prosecutors to discuss their cases and, if necessary, negotiate guilty pleas. But with the new detainees, U.S. Marshal Johnny L. Hughes told Rosenstein that his officers would be too busy to transport prisoners this week to prosecutors' offices.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrests // Three men were arrested Sunday morning by Maryland Transportation Authority Police in two unrelated traffic stops on Interstate 95 and charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. About 8 a.m., police said, officers found nearly 3 ounces of marijuana in a vehicle driven by Leon Hanna Jr., 29, of the 5000 block of Darien Road, who was stopped for a seat belt violation. An hour later, Shelley Lamont Lancaster, 35, of Clinton and Michael B. Dion, 35, of Reston, Va., were arrested after a speeding stop and a search of the car revealed marijuana between the front seats. Police also seized $6,010.

[Qdawg]

Drug arrest // Maryland Transportation Authority Police stopped a driver suspected of speeding on southbound Interstate 895 near Moravia Road Wednesday afternoon, then arrested him after a police dog helped turn up nearly 2 ounces of marijuana. Charged with possession of marijuana was Ryan Wesley Grier, 25, of Atlanta, Ga.

[Qdawg]

Money seized // After being stopped for speeding on southbound Interstate 95 in Rosedale,Baltimore County Wednesday, a 24-year-old Ohio man allowed Maryland Transportation Authority Police to search a 2002 Acura. They found $66,300 in bundled cash in a disguised compartment. Police said the driver denied knowledge of the money, adding that the car was registered to another Ohio man. When a thorough search revealed no evidence of narcotics, the driver was released but the money seized. An investigation is continuing, police said.