Thursday, July 29, 2010

Drug Kingpin Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 10 Years

Ring Distributed $1 Million of PCP

WASHINGTON - Lonnell Glover, 48, was sentenced today to life imprisonment for his role as leader of a Phencyclidine (PCP) and heroin distribution organization in the District of Columbia and Maryland. The Honorable Thomas F. Hogan, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, also entered a final order requiring him to forfeit $1,050,000 as proceeds from his drug conspiracy.

The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Shawn Henry, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Edwin D. Sloane, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia. Judge Hogan described Glover as “the leader of the largest PCP ring ever in D.C. ”

On June 24, 2010, Glover, of Temple Hills, Md., was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle, U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia, for his leadership role in a separate cocaine trafficking organization. These sentences are to run consecutively.

Also today, Jerome Hampton, 51, from Upper Marlboro, Md. was sentenced to 10 years and one month of imprisonment for his role in assisting Glover to obtain multiple gallons of PCP from California, to the Washington D.C. area. Hampton is the owner of Custom Interiors in Upper Marlboro.

In this case, from 2005 to 2007, the FBI conducted a long-term investigation, including months of electronic surveillance, which revealed that Glover was one of the largest regional suppliers of PCP and heroin in the area.

Between February and June of 2007, Glover along with 25 other co-conspirators, obtained and distributed approximately 50 gallons of PCP in various locations in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. The PCP had a wholesale street value of more than $1,000,000.

Hampton permitted Glover to have multiple-gallon shipments of PCP sent to his business office, Custom Interiors. Glover would then retrieve the PCP from Hampton’s business, and Glover would pay Hampton several thousands of dollars for his assistance. Hampton also sold some of Glover’s PCP in the community.

During that same time period, Glover also obtained and distributed multiple kilograms of heroin in the Washington, D.C., area. On June 19, 2007, most of the co-conspirators were arrested in this investigation. More than $400,000 in U.S. currency, numerous firearms, several gallons of PCP, and a large amount of heroin was recovered. As a result of the investigation, approximately 32 individual defendants were charged for conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses.

On November 3, 2008, Glover was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute over one kilogram of PCP. Also, on November 23, 2009, after a bench trial, Judge Hogan determined that the defendant’s Brentley Road residence in Temple Hills was used to facilitate the drug conspiracy and therefore forfeited the residence, and also required Glover to forfeit $1,050,000 in proceeds from his drug conspiracy. Hampton was convicted in October 2009 of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP.

In announcing the sentencings, U.S. Attorney Machen noted that this investigation and prosecution was an example of the dedication and resolve of law enforcement, including the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect our community from those who would prey on it for profit.

Machen commended the work of the FBI agents from the Washington Field Office who investigated the case, as well as Metropolitan Police Department Detective Michael Eames, U.S. Marshals Service deputies Thomas O’Brien, Richard Kelly, and Brendan O’Neill, and U.S. Attorney’s Office Supervisory Paralegal James Mazzitelli, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Han and Anthony Scarpelli who investigated and prosecuted the case. This investigation was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

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