Heroin Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Tahirah Carter, age 35, of Cockeysville, Maryland, today to 135 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeannine A. Hammett of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

According to her plea agreement, from at least November 2005 to July 2008 Carter conspired with others to distribute heroin. Carter acted as a courier and point of contact for a conspirator’s source of supply in New York, traveling from Baltimore to New York to obtain kilogram quantities of heroin and transport cash for payment of the heroin. Carter admitted that her participation in the conspiracy resulted in the distribution of more than 30 kilograms of heroin.

Joy Edison, age 25, of Elkton, Maryland, pleaded guilty to her participation in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2011 at 2:30 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorneys Tony Gioia, Michael Studdard, and Tim Lake; the FBI; the IRS; and the Baltimore Police Department for their assistance in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys James G. Warwick and James T. Wallner, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.